About the Red-billed Teal
The red-billed teal or red-billed duck is a dabbling duck which is an abundant resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa. typically south of 10° S. This duck is not migratory, but flies great distances to find suitable waters. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season and forms large flocks.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The red-billed teal is 43–48 cm (17–19 in) long and has a blackish cap and nape, contrasting pale face, and bright red bill. The body plumage is a dull dark brown scalloped with white. Flight reveals that the secondary flight feathers are buff with a black stripe across them. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults. This is a quiet species, but the displaying male has a whzzt call, whereas the female has a soft mallard-like quack. The red-billed teal is a bird of freshwater habitats in fairly open country and is an omnivore.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
White-cheeked PintailAnas bahamensisLike many southern ducks, the sexes are similar, though females are slightly smaller and duller in plumage.
Mexican DuckAnas diaziThe bird has a length of 45–55 cm (17.7–21.6 in) and a weight of 849–1,243 g (1.872–2.740 lb)
The Mexican duck is mainly brown, with a blue speculum edged with white, obvious in flight or at rest.
Yellow-billed PintailAnas georgicaThe yellow-billed pintail has a brown head and neck.
Side by side: Red-billed Teal vs Yellow-billed Pintail · Mexican Duck vs Red-billed Teal · Red-billed Teal vs White-cheeked Pintail
Learn the Red-billed Teal for real
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