BIRDS of THE WORLD - An Online Bird Book
WATERFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae
WATERFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds All species in the order are web-footed for efficient swimming and have a large wide bill with a specialized tongue that allows water to be sucked in the front of the bill. An array of plates traps food particles as the water is expelled out the sides of the bill. Not all species feed this way, some graze on plants and some also catch fish.
Anseriformes has 3 familes, but almost all of the species belong to Anatidae.
Family Anatidae: dabbling ducks, teals, diving ducks, sea duck, shelducks, geese.
Family Anatidae: stiff-tailed ducks, swans, whistling ducks,
Family Anhimidae: screamers
Family Anseranatidae: magpie goose
Other species resemble the waterfowl of Anseriformes.
Order Gaviiformes, Family Gaviidae: loons
Order Gruiformes, Family Rallidae: coots, moorhens, crakes, rails
Order Podicipediformes, Family Podicipedidae: grebes
Teals Anseriformes has 3 familes, but almost all of the species belong to Anatidae.
Family Anatidae: dabbling ducks, teals, diving ducks, sea duck, shelducks, geese.
Family Anatidae: stiff-tailed ducks, swans, whistling ducks,
Family Anhimidae: screamers
Family Anseranatidae: magpie goose
Other species resemble the waterfowl of Anseriformes.
Order Gaviiformes, Family Gaviidae: loons
Order Gruiformes, Family Rallidae: coots, moorhens, crakes, rails
Order Podicipediformes, Family Podicipedidae: grebes
Teals belong to genus Anas as is also true for dabbling ducks. Teals have been given their own web page as an arbitrary way to split the presentation of this large genus. Teals do not totally submerge when feeding and are often seen with just their rears showing as the search for food. Because of their feeding method, teals have evolved to be more buoyant than diving ducks.
Genus Anas
Teal,_Andaman Anas albogularis Found: Andaman Islands of India
The Andaman Teal has mainly dark brown plumage with buffy markings; pale face, throat; white eye-ring.
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Anay Tamekar 3) Balaji_Venkatesh_Sivaramakrishnan 4) Pinned
Teal,_Andean Anas andium Found: Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela
The Andean Tea isl restricted to the Andean highlands of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It inhabits freshwater wetlands, preferring palustrine habitat to rivers.
Image by: 1) Pedro_Martinez 2) Felix_Uribe - Columbia 3) Gary_Clark - Ecuador 4) Aljandro Bayer Tamayo 5) Jei_Pov 
Teal_ Auckland (Island) Anas aucklandica Found: Auckland Islands (south of New Zealand)
The Auckland Teal has brown plumage with a hint of green on the neck; pale eye-ring. It is flightless.
Image by: 1) Austronesian Expeditions 2) Ian_McHenry
Teal,_Baikal Anas formosa Found: Asia
The male Baikal Teal has dark crown, yellow face with striking black swirl, yellow front of neck, light brown breast with dark spots, brown back with long scapulars, gray sides. Female Baikal Teal has a back simialar to the male's without long scapulars, distinctive white loral spot at base of bill, white underparts.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 
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Teal,_Bernier's also Madagascar Teal Anas bernieri Endemic to Madagascar
The Bernier's Teal has a brown body, mottled flanks and breast, light colored head, black bill.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5) Dick - Antananarivo Zoo, Madagascar 
Teal,_Blue-winged Anas discors Found: The Americas
Breeding male has a grayish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult female and nonbreeding male are mottled brown, have pronounced white eye-arcs, and have a whitish area at base of bill. This white on the female continues to the neck. Both sexes have yellowish legs.
Similar to: Cinnamon Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and nonbreeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and nonbreeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
Similar to: female Garganey. Female Blue-winged Teal has white eye-ring; female Garganey does not. Blue-winged Teal has yellow legs, Garganey does not.
Image by: 1) Ken Schneider - Illinois 2) Alan Vernon - California 3) Dick - Sanibel Island, Florida 4) Dick Daniels -Assateague Virginia 5) Dick - Sylvan Heights 6) Dan Pancamo - TexasSimilar to: Cinnamon Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and nonbreeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and nonbreeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
Similar to: female Garganey. Female Blue-winged Teal has white eye-ring; female Garganey does not. Blue-winged Teal has yellow legs, Garganey does not.
1) Nonbreeding male 2, 3) Male, female pair 4, 5, 6) Breeding males
Teal,_Brown Anas chlorotis Found: islands off New Zealand
The Brown Teal has brown plumage with mottling on the upperparts; pale eye-ring.
Image by: 1) Duncan 2) Sabine's Sunbird 3) Diego_Tirira 4, 5) digitaltrails 6) Bernard_Spragg
1) Juvenile
Teal,_Campbel_Island Anas nesiotis Found: the Campbell Islands of New Zealand
The Campell Island Teal is mainly brown. The head and back are dark and tinged with iridescent green. The male has a chestnut breast.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels -
Kiwi Birdlife Park, New Zealand 2) Stomac 3, 4) Jake_Osborne - Codfish Island, New Zealand
Teal,_Cape Anas capensis Found: Africa
The Cape Teal is mainly gray with a browner back and pink bill.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5, 6) Dick - Tanzania 7) Dick - Lake Naivasha, Kenya 8) Cristiano Crolle - West Coast National Park, South Africa
Teal,_Chestnut Anas castanea Found: Australia
The male Chestnut Teal has a green head and mottled rufous body. The female has brown head and mottled brown body. Both sex have red eyes.
Similar to: Gray Teal. The Gray Teal has lighter neck and face than the female Chestnut Teal.
Similar to: Sunda Teal. The Sunda Teal has lighter chin and foreneck than female Chestnut Teal. Their ranges do not overlap.
Image by: 1, 3) Wayne Butterworth 2, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 7) Dick - Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney Similar to: Gray Teal. The Gray Teal has lighter neck and face than the female Chestnut Teal.
Similar to: Sunda Teal. The Sunda Teal has lighter chin and foreneck than female Chestnut Teal. Their ranges do not overlap.
1, 2) Pair 4) Female 4 - 8) Male
Teal,_Cinnamon Anas cyanoptera Found: The Americas
The adult male has a cinnamon-red head and body with a brown back, red eyes and a dark bill. The adult female has a mottled brown body, a pale brown head, brown eyes, diffuse white eye-arcs, and a long grey bill. The nonbreeding male resembles the female, but with a reddish mottled body and red eyes. Both sexes have yellowish legs.
Similar to: Blue-winged Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and nonbreeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and nonbreeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
Similar to: Red Shoveler. Male Cinnamon Teal has darker head than male Red Shoveler.
Image by: 1) Linda Tanner 2) Len Blumin - California 3, 6, 7) Dick - Sylvan Heights 4) Maggie Smith 5)
Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo 8) Dick - Peruvian PlateauSimilar to: Blue-winged Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and nonbreeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and nonbreeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
Similar to: Red Shoveler. Male Cinnamon Teal has darker head than male Red Shoveler.
1, 2, 3) Pair 4) Female 5, 6, 7, 8) Male
Teal,_Eurasian also Common Teal Anas crecca Found: Europe, Asia
The Eurasian Teal is a small dabbling duck. The breeding male has a chestnut head, green eye patch, gray back and flanks. Female is mottled brown, has dark eye-line.
Similar to: Green-winged Teal. Some consider these the same species. The breeding male Green-winged Teal has a vertical white stripe on side of breast, the breeding Eurasian Teal does not. The species are difficult to differentiate for nonbreeding males and also females.
Similar to: female Mallard. Plumage of female Green-winged Teal and female Mallard is similar. Size is the best differentiator.
Image by: 1, 2) Sergey Yeliseev 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5, 6) Jimmy_EdmondsSimilar to: Green-winged Teal. Some consider these the same species. The breeding male Green-winged Teal has a vertical white stripe on side of breast, the breeding Eurasian Teal does not. The species are difficult to differentiate for nonbreeding males and also females.
Similar to: female Mallard. Plumage of female Green-winged Teal and female Mallard is similar. Size is the best differentiator.
1) Pair 2, 3) Female 4 - 6) Male
Teal,_Gray Anas gracils Found: Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific Islands
The Gray Teal is mostly gray-brown. It has pale chin and throat, red eye, black bill.
Similar to: female Chestunt Teal. The Gray Teal has lighter neck and face than the female Chestnut Teal.
Image by: 1, 2) Oystercatcher 3) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan HeightsSimilar to: female Chestunt Teal. The Gray Teal has lighter neck and face than the female Chestnut Teal.
4) Male East Indian Grey Teal (Anas gracilis gibberifrons)
Teal,_Green-winged Anas carolinensis . Found: North America
The Green-winged Teal is the smalled North American dabbling duck. The breeding male Green-winged Teal has a chestnut head, green eye patch, gray back and flanks. Female is mottled brown, has dark eye-line.
Similar to: Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal. The female Green-winged Teal can be differentiated from these other teals by its dark eye-line.
Similar to: Eurasian Teal. Some consider these the same species. The breeding male Green-winged Teal has a vertical white stripe on side of breast, the breeding Eurasian Teal does not. The species are difficult to differentiate for nonbreeding males and also females.
Similar to: female Mallard. Plumage of female Green-winged Teal and female Mallard is similar. Size is the best differentiator.
Image by: 1) David Mitchell 2) New Jersy Birds - California 4) Dick - North Carolina 3, 5, 6, 7, 8) Dick - Sylvan
Heights 9) Robert Olson - mounted Similar to: Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal. The female Green-winged Teal can be differentiated from these other teals by its dark eye-line.
Similar to: Eurasian Teal. Some consider these the same species. The breeding male Green-winged Teal has a vertical white stripe on side of breast, the breeding Eurasian Teal does not. The species are difficult to differentiate for nonbreeding males and also females.
Similar to: female Mallard. Plumage of female Green-winged Teal and female Mallard is similar. Size is the best differentiator.
1, 2, 3) Female 5, 6, 7) Male
Teal,_Hottentot Anas hottentota Found: Africa
The Hottentot Teal has brown upperparts, dark head,, brown mottled breast, blue bill with dark center. It is a very small species.
Similar to: Red-billed Teal. Hottentot Teal has blue bill; Red-billed Teal has red bill.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5) Sandy Cole - Sylvan HeightsSimilar to: Red-billed Teal. Hottentot Teal has blue bill; Red-billed Teal has red bill.
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Teal,_Puna Anas puna Found: South America
The Puna Teal has black cap that extends below the eyes and down the nape; bluish bill with black top; creamy lower part of head, throat, upper neck; buff lower neck and breast with dark brown spots.
Similar to: Silver Teal. Silver Teal has yellow on bill; Puna Teal does not. Puna Teal has dirty looking rump compared to Silver Teal. Puna Teal once considered subspecies of Silver Teal.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5) Dick - Cusco, PeruSimilar to: Silver Teal. Silver Teal has yellow on bill; Puna Teal does not. Puna Teal has dirty looking rump compared to Silver Teal. Puna Teal once considered subspecies of Silver Teal.
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Teal,_Red-billed also Red-billed Duck also Red-billed Pintail Anas erythrorhyncha Found: Africa
The Red-billed Teal has brown upperparts, dark head, brown mottled breast, red bill.
Similar to: Hottentot Teal. Hottentot Teal has blue bill; Red-billed Teal has red bill.
Image by:
1) Dick Daniels - Birds of Eden, South Africa 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 4) Dick - Lake Naivasha, KenyaSimilar to: Hottentot Teal. Hottentot Teal has blue bill; Red-billed Teal has red bill.
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5, 6, 7) Dick - Parc Tsarasaotra (open bird sanctury in Antananrivo, Madagascar) 8) Charlie Westerinen - Hwange, Zimbabwe
Teal,_Silver Anas versicolor Found: South America
The Silver Teal has silver rump; black cap that extends below the eyes and down the nape; bluish bill with black top and yellow near the base; creamy lower part of head, throat, upper neck; buff lower neck and breast with dark brown spots.
Similar to: Puna Teal. Silver Teal has yellow on bill; Puna Teal does not. Puna Teal has dirty looking rump compared to Silver Teal. Puna Teal once considered subspecies of Silver Teal.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5) Nick Athanas - ArgentinaSimilar to: Puna Teal. Silver Teal has yellow on bill; Puna Teal does not. Puna Teal has dirty looking rump compared to Silver Teal. Puna Teal once considered subspecies of Silver Teal.
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Teal,_Sunda also Indonesian Teal Anas gibberifrons Found: Indonesia
The Sunda Teal has mottled brown plumage; pale chin and foreneck; bulging forehead.
Similar to: Chestnut Teal (female). The Sunda Teal has lighter chin and foreneck than female Chestnut Teal. Their ranges do not overlap.
Image by: 1) Gilfedder - Bali, Indonesia 2) curatrok77Similar to: Chestnut Teal (female). The Sunda Teal has lighter chin and foreneck than female Chestnut Teal. Their ranges do not overlap.
Teal,_Yellow-billed Formerly part of Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris Found: South America
The Yellow-billed Teal is grayish brown, has yellow bill, does not have spotted flanks,
Similar to : Yellow-billed Pintail. Yellow-billed Pintail has spotted flanks, Yellow-billed teal does not. Yellow-billed teal has larger spots on chest than Yellow-billed Pintail.
Similar to : Yellow-billed Pintail. Yellow-billed Pintail has spotted flanks, Yellow-billed teal does not. Yellow-billed teal has larger spots on chest than Yellow-billed Pintail.
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Genus Callonetta - 1 species
Teal,_Ringed Callonetta leucophrys Found: South America
The male Ringed Teal has chestnut upperparts, pale gray belly and flanks, black stipe from top of head to nape, pink breast speckled with black, black undertail with white patch. Female has brown back and face, white supercilium.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 5) Dick - Washington National Zoo 6) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights 8) Dick - Birds of Eden, South Africa
1, 2) Pair 3, 4) Female 5 - 9) Male
