Common Teal, 10/24/2012

Common Teal, also called Green-winged Teal or Eurasian Teal, is one of the most common wintering birds in the Anatidae family in Taiwan. The others include Eastern Spot-billed Ducks, Little Ringed Plovers, Gray Herons, etc. Common Teal starts coming in to Taiwan on September each year, and starts leaving Taiwan on March next year. In Taipei area, they usually winter at Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park and Guandu Wetland, Taipei City. They arrive in winter plumage, and then turn gradually into coloful breeding plumage as time passed.



Male, taken at Zhongxing Bridge, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 2/5/2012



Female, taken at Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 10/24/2012












Compare its size with Wood Sandpiper



video recorded at Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 10/16/2012



video recorded at Zhongxing Bridge, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 2/5/2012

Chinese name:	小水鴨
English name:	Common Teal, Green-winged Teal, Eurasian Teal, Teal
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Anas crecca
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	Aquatics
Habitat:	Wetlands, estuaries, swamps, intertidal zones
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flock in intertidal zones, wetlands or swamps.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 38 cm long. Bill and feet are black. Summer plumage: Winter plumage: For males, there is a wide chestnut crown stripe, with thin white border lines, on head top. Green color circles around the eye and extends to the rear side neck, looking like a big green comma, with thin white border lines too. The rest of the head, face and neck are chestnut. A wide white bar along the side body appears when it close its wings. The side body and the back are covered with thin and short grayish blue lines. Belly is white. Breast is white, covered with black dots. Undertail coverts are black, with a big triangular milky yellow mark on both side of the tail. For females, the whole body is mainly brown. The edges of the wings are near white. There is no big green comma. There is no wide white bar along the side body either. Eyeline is black. Similar species:
Breeding places:	Breeding in northern North America, northern Europe, northern Asia.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in central America, central Africa, Indian sub-continent, Southeast Asia, Philippines, Pacific costal provinces of China, Taiwan.
Time photographed:	2/5/2012, 10/16/2012, 10/21/2012, 10/24/2012
Location found:	Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City, Taiwan
Sources:	Internet
Notes: