Eurasian teal

Latin Anas crecca L.
Estonian Piilpart

Also known as: common teal, Eurasian green-winged teal

Status in Estonia

Breeding and migratory bird.

Description

The Eurasian teal is our smallest dabbling duck. The wings are narrow and pointed and the neck is short. It has a short wide white stripe in the middle of the coverts; the wing cover is shiny green. The male’s definitive plumage has a rust-brown head with a green side and a small yellow border around the green portion. The under tail is bright yellow on the side, with a black edge. The female bird is brown with dark stripes and spots. When swimming, it looks like a garganey but has a smaller beak, a thinner eye stripe and a pale longitudinal mark on the side of its tail. In eclipse plumage, the male and juvenile are fairly similar to the female bird, although the juvenile is slightly darker and has more striped sides.

Size

Body length 34–38 cm, wingspan 53–59 cm, body mass 270–330 g.

Eurasian teal (male). Photo: Janne Põlluaas

Similar species

Other Anatidae.

Distribution

The Eurasian teal is widespread in Europe, North Asia and North America. It winters in South and Central Africa and South Asia. It is a common breeding bird that is evenly distributed in Estonia, both on the mainland and on the islands.

Population

Estonia has 1500–2500 breeding pairs.

Occurrence in Estonia

It arrives in mid-April and the active migration continues until mid-May. The gathering for autumn migration begins in August, with the last ones leaving in early October. A few (20–100) stay for the winter.

Diet

It feeds on delicate plants, berries, seeds and invertebrates.

Habitat

As a habitat, it prefers shallow overgrown inland water bodies, often flood-meadows and raised bog lakes.

Nesting

The nest is built in the grass under the shade of sedges or bushes or on the ground near a body of water. Dried plants and down feathers are used as nest material. At the end of May, the female bird lays 7–10 creamy white eggs and the chicks hatch in the second half of June. Shortly after hatching, the chicks can dive, swim very well and run around on the ground. As they get bigger, they lose their ability to dive. Chicks learn to fly in mid-August. After the incubation begins in the second half of June, the male birds abandon the nesting locations to form moulting groups to spend time until the chicks can fly.

Conservation status and protection

Not under protection. The main threat is the pollution of water bodies. Because of its environment, the Eurasian teal has many enemies, primarily falcons and small predators. The Eurasian teal is also a gamebird, threatened by illegal hunting and the use of lead shots.

Distribution and population in Lääne County

The Eurasian teal is an uncommon breeding bird and a common migratory bird in Lääne County. Eurasian teals can be seen in numerous locations near Matsalu and Haapsalu bays. Eurasian teals that stop on their migration frequently stop at water puddles on the beach meadows.

Eurasian teals gather in large numbers on Haeska’s coast during the spring and autumn. They are also frequently seen stopping in Tahu Bay in Noarootsi.

Nesting Eurasian teals can be found on the beach meadows of Matsalu and Noarootsi. They also breed in small numbers near the ponds of the Marimetsa Bog in Lääne County.