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Grey TealAlternate name(s): "Wood Teal", "Slender Teal" ![]() Size: 42-45 cm Weight: 350-670 g |
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Similar |
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See Grey Teal
at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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PAIR |
Close-up frontal view of a pair of loafing Grey Teals
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Near-ffrontal view of a pair of Grey Teals
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Marmor, QLD, August 2023]
Near-frontal view of a pair of Grey Teals
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, April 2021]
Close-up near-lateral view of a pair of Grey Teals
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, April 2014]
Close-up near-lateral/lateral view of a pair of Grey Teals
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Lateral view of a pair of Grey Teals
[Gwydir River, Bingara, NSW, April 2019]
Sex unknown |
Close-up near-frontal view of Grey Teals
[Gwydir River, Bingara, NSW, April 2019]
Close-up lateral view of an adult Grey Teal displaying its
speculum
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, November 2013]
Close-up lateral view of a Grey Teal
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Lateral view of a Grey Teal
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]
Lateral view of a Grey Teal with its head feathers erect,
possibly indicating a posture in defense of its chicks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]
Lateral view of two Grey Teals at an
irrigation dam
[Harparary, NSW, April 2013]
Near-dorsal view of a Grey Teal
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Grey Teals resting by a fresh water lake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dowse Lagoon, Sandgate, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Grey Teals on a tree trunk (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Grey Teals feeding and resting in shallow water
[Gwydir River, Bingara, NSW, April 2019]
Lateral view of Grey Teals in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leaning Tree Lagoon, NT, July 2019]
Grey Teals in flight seen from underneath
[Whittaker's Lagoon near Moree, NSW, August 2012]
Ventral view of Grey Teals in in a mixed flock with
Pink-eared Ducks
[Burren Junction, NSW, January 2016]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Grey Teal
[50 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]
Grey Teal with conspicuously light plumage, possibly a
juvenile moulting into its adult plumage
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2011]
Grey Teal with 10 chicks on a misty morning
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2021]
Close-up view of three Grey Teal chicks
[Near Walgett, NSW, April 2009]
Grey Teal family on a lake
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]
This family of Grey Teals was seen 6 weeks after a major inland rainfall event
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, August 2012]
Very young Grey Teal chick on an artifical dam
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2015]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Nomadic/dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/large flock |
Like other duck species, Grey Teals are sociable birds that, when not breeding, like to congregate in large numbers.
Small section of a huge composite photo (49790x2650 pixels) of
about 1500 resting Grey Teals; the original photo permits identification
of basically every single bird and shows that the white spots visible in
the background of the larger photo are
Red-necked Avocets
[Goran Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Part of the huge flock of Grey Teals (above) resettling just 100 m further on
[Goran Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Grey Teals like very shallow water
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2015]
Grey Teals sifting through shallow water ("dabbling")
[Near Narrabri, NSW, July 2010]
Grey Teals on open
coastal waters
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, March 2022]
Grey Teals are often seen together with other ducks, in particular Australian Wood Ducks, but also with Pink-eared Ducks.
Group photo of several species of water birds - a pair of
Australian Wood
Ducks (centre), Grey Teals (left and right) and
Australasian
Grebes (the two smaller birds)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2007]
Group photo of several species of aquatic birds - a pair of
Australian Wood
Ducks (far left), a family of Grey Teals (centre) and a pair of
Australasian Grebes
(front)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2007]
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Food, Diet |
Grey Teal "dabbling", i.e. filter-feeding on plant material at the
water surface
[Gum Swamp, Warren, NSW, December 2016]
Lateral view of a pair of Grey Teals feeding
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2020]
Lateral view of a pair of Grey Teals feeding
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]
Grey Teal upending to feed on underwater plants
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dowse Lagoon, Sandgate, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
grteal_20200229.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact calls(?) | © MD | |
grteal_20160727_2.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Q&A | © MD | |
grteal_20200301.m4a | (NW NSW) | Alarm calls + contact calls | © MD | |
grteal_20200718.m4a | (NW NSW) | Pre-dawn; getting restless? | © MD |
More Grey Teal sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.