Blue-billed Teal vs Puna Teal

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

Medium276 gWetland

Adult males have dark brown crown contrasting with paler face, throat, breast and side except for a blackish thumb-shaped patch on the ear region. The back of the neck is spotted with black and this spotting extends down through the neck and become intensively spotted on the breast, the spots appear to be larger and less obvious on the light brown flanks and abdomen, and the posterior underparts and under tail coverts becoming vermiculated with black. The scapulars and tail are dark brown to black, the upper wing surface is blackish as well, with the coverts giving a greenish gloss.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: i_c_riddell · CC BY 4.0

Puna Teal

Spatula puna

Large595 gWetland

The Puna teal is larger than its closely related species, the silver teal (Spatula versicolor). It measures about 48 cm (19 in) long, similar in size to a wood duck. Males typically weigh between 546 to 560 g and have a wingspan of 215-235 mm. Their bill is 47-53 mm long, compared to 37-41 mm in S. versicolor. Puna teal is easily recognized by its distinctive head and bill patterns. Adult males have a blackish-brown cap that extends below the eyes. They have a creamy white lower face and neck, a coffee-colored back, chest, and flank, and a dark brown rear flank. Voice: The calls of Puna teal differs from those of silver teal. Its "decrescendo" call is shorter, consisting of only 4-5 weaker notes. Other reported vocalizations include a low, chatting sound ("hueer, pt pt pt..."), a mechanical, rising trill ("trrrrr" or "dr-r-r"), and a low alarm call ("whr" or "errr").

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blue-billed Teal and Puna Teal.