- Anas puna
Identification
Size: 19 in. The upper head is black, the face, throat and neck are white. The back, chest and anterior flanks are a light coffee colour with dark brown spots. On the rear flanks, the spots become bars. Upper tail coverts are grey. The relatively large bill is light blue with a black line along the top of the upper mandible. In flight has a green speculum bordered in buff. Female is similar to male but smaller and browner.
Similar Species
Silver Teal differs in having inner part of bill yellow, , buff sides of head, and being overall smaller, but will not usually overlap in range
Distribution
Central Peru and western Bolivia south to northern Chile and extreme north-west Argentina.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species. It was previously regarded as a subspecies of the Silver Teal.
Habitat
Larger lakes and pools.
Behaviour
It is seldom found in flocks, usually in pairs. It feeds from floating vegetation, lake bottoms and borders or in peat bogs. It makes its nest in islets, hidden in ling grass. Usually 4 eggs are laid.
References
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Puna Teal. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Puna_Teal