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Description
The Chestnut Teal is a small dabbling duck with a high
forehead and rounded head. Males are distinctive,
having a glossy green head, chestnut brown neck,
breast and flanks, dark brown upper body and wings,
and a black undertail with contrasting white patch.
Females are mottled dark brown and grey, with a pale
throat streaked brown and a dark eye stripe. In both
sexes the eye is a deep red, the bill is blue-grey and
the legs and feet are green-grey. The wings have a
dark glossy green to purple speculum (panel) edged
white and the underwing is brown, with white wing
pits.
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Breeding
Chestnut Teals form monogamous pairs that stay
together outside the breeding season. Both parents
choose and defend a nest site and the males stay with
the female while she incubates the eggs. The nest is
usually located over water, in a down-lined tree
hollow about 6 m to 10 m high. Sometimes nests are
placed on the ground, among clumps of grass near
water, and are little more than a scrape, lined with
down. Artificial nest boxes of the right size and
located in suitable habitat will also be readily used.
Males do not assist with incubation but do look after
the young when hatched. Sometimes 'dump-laying'
occurs, where females leave their eggs in the nest of
another female, which accounts for some large clutch
sizes (up to 17 eggs in a nest).
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General Comments
The Chestnut Teal eats seeds and insects, along
with some vegetation, as well as mollusks and
crustaceans in more coastal habitats. It mainly feeds
at the water's edge during the rising tide, dabbling
at food items being washed in. It also dabbles for
food while swimming in the water, up-ends to bottom
feed or takes food from the surface. The Chestnut Breasted Teal is native to
Australia and this species is easy to keep in
captivity. They are not aggressive and are suitable
for mixed collections. The males keep much of there
color year round.
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Place Mouse over Pictures to Enlarge
Chestnut Teal Drake
Chestnut Teal Hen
Chestnut Teal Pair
Chestnut Teal Family
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