Silver teal
Species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The silver teal or versicolor teal (Spatula versicolor) is a species of dabbling duck in the genus Spatula. It breeds in South America.
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| Silver teal | |
|---|---|
| |
| 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 | |
| |
 | |
Non-Breeding Year-round Breeding | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Anas versicolor Vieillot, 1816 | |
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 southern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands,[1] and the Falkland Islands.[6] The southernmost birds migrate to southern Brazil in the winter.
Silver teals are on the whole placid ducks but may be protective of eggs, young and females.[3]
Description
They have a black cap that extends below the eyes, and a bluish bill with a yellow tip. They also have a green speculum with a white border.[7] The female's plumage is slightly duller and has less yellow at the base of the beak.[2]
The Puna teal was previously regarded as a subspecies of this bird. Currently, there are two subspecies:
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