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Chestnut Teal
(Anas castanea)
: "Chestnut-breasted Teal", "Green-headed Teal", "Black Teal",
"Mountain Teal", "Tete"
Aboriginal name(s): "ngwoolnakerong"
Size: 38-48 cm
Weight: 500-800 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
As opposed to the related
Grey Teals, Chestnut Teals are dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
have different plumages.
Male Chestnut
Teals have a glossy green head, chestnut-brown lower neck and breast
and mottled chestnut-brown belly and flanks, while female Chestnut Teals are all
mottled brown-grey. In general, every detail is a bit darker in colour
than in the very similar
Grey Teal.
The vent of both sexes is black, the mantle is mottled brown. The
speculum is green.
The irises of both sexes are red, the bill is dark-grey, the legs
and webbed feet are grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Chestnut
Teal at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Chestnut Teal is available
HERE
.
Chestnut Teals are endemic to Australia. They are found in two
areas of the Australian continent: Most of them live in the
subtropical east and south-east of the country, i.e. the
south-eastern part of QLD, all of NSW and VIC, and the eastern
edge of SA, up to Eyre peninsula. They are also
found in Tasmania. A smaller population exists
along two thin coastal margins along the lower west coast and
the south coast of WA.
During the breeding season Chestnut Teals show a preference for
brackish coastal swampland.
At other times of the year they are also found in tidal mudflats and
freshwater lakes
other freshwater wetlands.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Chestnut Teals were first spotted by us at Gorokan, on the NSW
Central Coast, in June 2006. They were feeding on the shores of
Budgewoi Lake early in the morning, amongst other aquatic birds.
Subsequently the species was seen at Tuggerah Nature Reserve near
Wyong, NSW,
in June 2011. Also seen at Woy Woy, NSW, by C. Hayne in January
2012. Subsequently seen by us in wetlands in various locations
along the NSW Central Coast, including e.g. Hunter Wetlands NP.
A pair was seen at Dangar's Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, in March 2012.
C. Hayne reports spotting Chestnut Teals repeatedly at
Whittaker's Lagoon near Moree, NSW.
R. Plumtree reports
spotting Chestnut Teals at Hollands Landing, Lake Victoria,
East Gippsland, VIC, in October 2014.
A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting Chestnut Teals on the Gold Coast,
QLD, in December 2014.
H. Mouritsen reports spotting Chestnut Teals at Fogg Dam NR, NT, in
October 2015.
K. White reports finding Chestnut Teals regularly at St Georges
Basin on the NSW South Coast.
The farthest inland we have found Chestnut Teals so far is Tiger
Bay wetlands at Warren, NSW, in April 2017, where a single male
was spotted.
Another Chestnut Teal, possibly a pair, was spotted at New
Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, in June 2019.
M. Wheeler found a pair of Chestnut Teals with 9 ducklings
at Narrabri Lake in May 2020.
V. Collins reports
finding Chestnut Teals at Newcastle Airport, Newcastle,
NSW, in December 2020.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Close-up lateral view of a male Chestnut Teal (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Lateral view of a male Chestnut Teal (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2014]
Lateral view of a male Chestnut Teal
[Gorokan, NSW, June 2011]
Lateral view of a male Chestnut Teal (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Long Jetty, NSW, September 2011]
Male Chestnut Teal paddling away
[Gorokan, NSW, June 2011]
Male Chestnut Teal, front right, possibly with a female (the dark
bird on the far left),
Grey Teals and
Pink-eared Ducks
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, June 2019]
Male Chestnut Teal (left), with two Plumed Whistling-Ducks (right),
seen at Whittaker's Lagoon near Moree, NSW
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Near-dorsal view of Chestnut Teals in flight, male at front left
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tuross Coastal Lagoon, NSW, January 2018]
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FEMALE |
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Lateral view of a female Chestnut Teal
[Gorokan, NSW, June 2011]
Dorsal view of a female Chestnut Teal
[Gorokan, NSW, June 2011]
Two female Chestnut Teals on a jetty
[Gorokan, NSW, June 2011]
Lateral view of female Chestnut Teals in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tuross Coastal Lagoon, NSW, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of female Chestnut Teals in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tuross Coastal Lagoon, NSW, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a pair of Chestnut Teals seen in flight
[Near Hat Head, NSW, January 2011]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Dorsal view of a pair of Chestnut Teals with duckling/s
(photo courtesy of M. Wheeler)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2020]
Social behaviour: Communal |
Mobility: Dispersive |
Elementary unit: Pair/flock |
Two Chestnut Teals (female on the right, immature male on the left)
exploring suburbia (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2014]
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Food, Diet |
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Chestnut Teals filter-feeding in shallow water
[Hunter Wetlands NP,
Newcastle, NSW, December 2016]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.