Yellow-billed Teal

About

A small brown teal with a distinctive bright yellow bill, dark crown, green speculum with white borders, and orange legs. Widespread in South American highland and lowland wetlands. One of the most common ducks in the Andes. Gregarious; forms large flocks outside breeding season.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	38.2 cm	15.0 in
Weight	609.0 g	21.48 oz

Identification

Plumage

Brownish-gray body finely mottled with dark spots. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with dark culmen stripe. Speculum iridescent green. Head grayish-brown, slightly darker crown. Sexes similar. Andean and Patagonian lakes.

Habitat & Range

Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and bogs from sea level to 4,500 m across South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to Tierra del Fuego. Common at high-altitude Andean lakes and puna wetlands.

🏖️ Coastal 🌾 Grassland 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in northern Canada and Alaska; winters on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to South Carolina and in Chesapeake Bay.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 24-35 days. Fledging: 42-49 days.

Clutch Size

5-13

Sound

Song

Male utters a high-pitched, clear whistle; female gives a soft, muffled quack. Quiet calls suit the high-altitude Andean wetlands where this teal forages in shallow freshwater.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Anas
Species	Anas flavirostris

Distribution

Yellow-billed Teal has been recorded in 9 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Yellow-billed Teal eat?

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Where does the Yellow-billed Teal live?

Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and bogs from sea level to 4,500 m across South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to Tierra del Fuego. Common at high-altitude Andean lakes and puna wetlands.

Is the Yellow-billed Teal endangered?

The Yellow-billed Teal has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Yellow-billed Teal nest?

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 24-35 days. Fledging: 42-49 days.

What does the Yellow-billed Teal sound like?

Male utters a high-pitched, clear whistle; female gives a soft, muffled quack. Quiet calls suit the high-altitude Andean wetlands where this teal forages in shallow freshwater.

How big is the Yellow-billed Teal?

The Yellow-billed Teal has a wingspan of 38.2 cm, weight of 609.0 g.

What order and family does the Yellow-billed Teal belong to?

The Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.