Brazilian teal
| Brazilian teal | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Anatinae |
| Genus: | Amazonetta von Boetticher, 1929 |
| Species: | A. brasiliensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Amazonetta brasiliensis (Gmelin, 1789)
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| Subspecies | |
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The Brazilian teal or Brazilian duck (Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the only duck in the genus Amazonetta.
Taxonomy and systematics[]
It was formerly considered a perching duck, but more recent analyses indicate that it belongs to a clade of South American dabbling ducks which also includes the crested duck, the bronze-winged duck, and possibly the steamer ducks.[2] There are two subspecies:
- A. brasiliensis brasiliensis (lesser Brazilian teal), the nominate race, found in Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, central Venezuela, eastern Colombia, and northeastern Peru.[3]
- A. brasiliensis ipecutiri (greater Brazilian teal), found in Brazil, Northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay.[3]
Description[]
The ducks are light brown in colour. Drakes distinguish themselves from females in having red beaks and legs, and in having a distinctive pale grey area on the side of its head and neck. The colour of these limbs is much duller in females.
Female at Costanera Sur, Argentina
Male at Costanera Sur, Argentina
Habitat and distribution[]
They can be found throughout eastern South America, from central Brazil, to Uruguay, to northern and eastern Argentina, Paraguay, central Venezuela, northeastern Peru, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, eastern Bolivia, and eastern Colombia.[1][3] Their preferred habitat is a body of freshwater away from the coast with dense vegetation nearby.
Behaviour[]
Brazilian teal live in pairs or in small groups of up to twenty birds. Both parents look after their hatchlings. They eat seeds, fruits, roots and insect, while ducklings eat only insects.
Status[]
They are plentiful and are listed as of Least Concern.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b c BirdLife International (2018). "Amazonetta brasiliensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22680115A130025891. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22680115A130025891.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin P. & Sorenson, Michael D. (1999). "Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus Anas): a comparison of molecular and morphological evidence" (PDF). Auk. 116 (3): 792–805. doi:10.2307/4089339. JSTOR 4089339.
- ^ a b c Clements, James, (2007) The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amazonetta brasiliensis. |
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Wikispecies has information related to Amazonetta brasiliensis. |
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Anatinae
- Ducks
- Birds of South America
- Birds of the Guianas
- Birds of Brazil
- Birds of Venezuela
- Birds of Argentina
- Birds of Uruguay
- Birds described in 1789
- Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin