Anas castanea
The Chestnut Teal (*Anas castanea*) is a striking dabbling duck endemic to southern Australia and Tasmania, celebrated by birders for its distinctive plumage. Males boast a glossy, iridescent dark green head, a rich chestnut breast and flanks, and a prominent bright red eye, making them unmistakable. Females are more subdued, featuring mottled brown plumage with a darker cap, paler throat, and a dark eye. Both sexes display a metallic green speculum on their wings, visible in flight. These me...
Primarily inhabits coastal estuaries, saline and brackish lakes, and swamps, often tolerating higher salinity levels than many other ducks. They are also found in freshwater wetlands, lagoons, and slow-moving rivers, generally at low elevations.
Primarily consumes seeds of aquatic plants and sedges, along with a significant proportion of aquatic invertebrates such as insects and their larvae, small crustaceans, and molluscs. Forages by dabbling at the surface or up-ending in shallow water.
Chestnut Teals are highly social outside the breeding season, forming large, often mixed-species flocks that gather in favored feeding and roosting areas. They are diurnal, spending their days dabbling, up-ending, and filter-feeding in shallow waters for food. During the breeding season, pairs be...
The Chestnut Teal is endemic to Australia, predominantly found in the southeastern and southwestern coastal regions, as well as throughout Tasmania. Its primary breeding range extends across coastal and sub-coastal areas of Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania, with significant populations als...
Least Concern
- The Chestnut Teal is one of Australia's most common ducks, particularly in its preferred brackish and saline habitats. - Unlike many dabbling ducks, it shows a strong preference for coastal and estuarine waters, often tolerating higher salinity levels. - Males possess a distinctive bright red e...