Hottentot Teal (Spatula hottentota)

Family
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, Swans)

Size
30 - 35 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Eyton, 1838)

Habitat
Shallow, freshwater marshes, swamps, pools and lakes. Occasionally on more open lakes and reservoirs, or sewage pans, flooded fields, rice paddies and waterside areas heavily disturbed by wild ungulates or cattle.

Range (Guide)

Angola, Botswana (B), Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of], Uganda, Zambia (B), Zimbabwe.

Vagrant to Lesotho, Somalia, Swaziland.

L Chad; Ethiopia to Cape Province; Madagascar.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 56,000 - 220,000 (2010).

Status LC
Habitat degradation through wetland conversion to agriculture, hunting are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Omnivorous. Seeds, fruits and other vegetable matter. Also, aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans, molluscs, water insects such as beetles and the larvae of flies.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (1)...)

Blue-billed Teal (Spatula) [XC510396]
by id from Eluanata dam, Monduli, Tanzania (call)

Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) [XC210051]
by Peter Boesman from Lake Boyo marshes, Ethiopia (call)

Nest
Built from surrounding vegetation and well hidden above water in drowned trees, reeds or in papyrus clumps. Usually nests singly or in pairs.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Hottentot Teal (Spatula hottentota) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Hottentot Teal see... Show Articles

BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Articles about the Hottentot Teal

If you would like to read any articles about the Hottentot Teal...

Show Articles (0)

No Pictures of Hottentot Teal

If Birdpedia has no pictures of Hottentot Teal or you would like to see more, then try the following...

Show External Images from BING

From BING (10)

No Videos of Hottentot Teal

If Birdpedia has no videos of Hottentot Teal or you would like to see more, then try the following..

Show External Videos

From BING (0)