Brazilian Teal

Overview

The Brazilian teal (Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the sole extant species of duck in the genus Amazonetta. This freshwater bird is widely distributed across eastern South America.

Identification

• Light brown plumage with a distinctive pale grey area on the side of the head and neck in males.
• Males possess red beaks and legs, whereas females have duller limbs.
• Typically found in pairs or small groups of up to twenty individuals.

Habitat

Prefers freshwater bodies away from the coast that have dense vegetation nearby. The species ranges throughout eastern South America, including central Brazil, Uruguay, northern and eastern Argentina, Paraguay, central Venezuela, northeastern Peru, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, eastern Bolivia, and eastern Colombia.

Diet

Feeds on seeds, fruits, roots, and insects. Ducklings specialise in eating insects exclusively.

Did you know?

Once classified as a perching duck, the species is now understood to belong to a clade of South American dabbling ducks that includes the crested and bronze-winged ducks. An extinct relative, Amazonetta cubensis, found in the Late Pleistocene of Cuba, indicates the genus once had a far more widespread distribution.