Puna Teal

About

A medium-sized pale grey teal with a distinctive blue-grey bill, dark cap, and black-and-white back pattern. Restricted to high Andean wetlands. Found in large flocks on puna lakes and salars. Closely related to Silver Teal; sometimes treated as conspecific.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	42.8 cm	16.9 in
Weight	507.75 g	17.91 oz

Identification

Plumage

Pale gray body finely vermiculated. Black cap extending to nape contrasting with white face and throat. Bright pale blue bill. Blue forewing patch in flight; green speculum. Sexes similar. High Andean lakes.

Habitat & Range

High-altitude lakes, salars, and marshy bogs on the puna and altiplano at 3,500–5,000 m in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Associated with brackish and freshwater high-altitude wetlands.

🌾 Grassland 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in sub-Arctic and boreal Eurasia; winters on temperate coastlines and large lakes of Europe and Asia.

Diet & Feeding

Eats seeds and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in shallow freshwater; diet more invertebrate-heavy in spring breeding season.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 25-26 days.

Clutch Size

5-6

Sound

Song

Male gives a clear, high whistle; female responds with a soft, descending quack. The clean whistled note carries distinctly across high-altitude Andean wetlands and salt lakes.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Puna Teal has been recorded in 3 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇳🇴 Norway

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Puna Teal eat?

Eats seeds and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in shallow freshwater; diet more invertebrate-heavy in spring breeding season.

Where does the Puna Teal live?

High-altitude lakes, salars, and marshy bogs on the puna and altiplano at 3,500–5,000 m in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Associated with brackish and freshwater high-altitude wetlands.

Is the Puna Teal endangered?

The Puna Teal has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Puna Teal nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 25-26 days.

What does the Puna Teal sound like?

Male gives a clear, high whistle; female responds with a soft, descending quack. The clean whistled note carries distinctly across high-altitude Andean wetlands and salt lakes.

How big is the Puna Teal?

The Puna Teal has a wingspan of 42.8 cm, weight of 507.75 g.

What order and family does the Puna Teal belong to?

The Puna Teal (Spatula puna) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.