Speckled teal are small brownish
"female-plumaged" ducks with speckles. Their
bills are blue-gray, with the darker color above the
lighter. The head and neck are light grayish-buff
finely speckled with black. They are otherwise dark
brown above with paler edgings, wing speculum green
bordered buff-white behind. Their under parts are
buffy-white, usually conspicuous spotted brown on
foreneck and breast. A typical call of the male is a
mellow "preep," but in display utters
prolonged mellow rippling series of notes. Female
vocalization is a gruff "quack" or cackle.
Chilean Teal are also commonly called Speckled Teal.
Nest sites vary considerably, from holes in trees,
banks and slopes to on the ground among vegetation,
usually not far from water. Double brooding can occur
in a prolonged season and males often assist females
in tending young broods. During spring-summer of first
year September to February They have been known to
except nesting boxes as well. The average clutch is 5
to 8 buff colored eggs.
Speckled Teal are also commonly called Chilean Teal, or
Sharp wing Teal.
Chile to the southern tip of South America Speckled
teal are endemic to South America and widespread and
common in the south, extending north in the lowlands
to central Chile, Paraguay and southeastern Brazil,
and in the Andes to Venezuela.
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Speckled Teal Pair