| Silver teal | |
|---|---|
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| A male in Brazil | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Spatula |
| Species: | S. versicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Spatula versicolor (Vieillot, 1816) | |
| Subspecies | |
| |
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Non-Breeding Year-round Breeding | |
| Synonyms | |
Anas versicolorVieillot, 1816 | |
Thesilver teal orversicolor teal (Spatula versicolor) is a species ofdabbling duck in the genusSpatula. It breeds inSouth America.
Between April and June they prefer reed beds and will lay 6 to 10 creamy-pink eggs. The eggs will hatch after 25 to 27 days.[2] As with swans and geese, both parents will rear the ducklings.[3] A pair may bond long term. It lives on fresh water in small groups, and feeds primarily on vegetable matter such as seeds and aquatic plants.[4][citation needed][5]
The silver teal's range includes southernBolivia, southernBrazil,Paraguay,Argentina,Chile,Uruguay,South Georgia,South Sandwich Islands,[1] and theFalkland Islands.[6] The southernmost birds migrate to southernBrazil in the winter.
Silver teals are on the whole placid ducks but may be protective of eggs, young and females.[3]
They have a black cap that extends below the eyes, and a bluish bill with a yellow tip. They also have a greenspeculum with a white border.[7] The female'splumage is slightly duller and has less yellow at the base of the beak.[2]
ThePuna teal was previously regarded as a subspecies of this bird. Currently, there are two subspecies:
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