Tiny duck - Warwickshire, England (1 Viewer)

[HelenJC]

Apologies for the appalling photos, but any thoughts on this tiny duck (mallards left in for scale) on a park lake in Warwickshire today? A visitor, or an escapee from somewhere? Thanks

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Escaped Ringed Teal

 

[HelenJC]

Escaped Ringed Teal

Thank you - I was pretty sure there wasn’t a wild duck this size it could be, but not certain.

 

[Butty]

There is one that size - regular/Eurasian teal. But... is that one it could be...? - that's subjective 😉

 

[HelenJC]

There is one that size - regular/Eurasian teal. But... is that one it could be...? - that's subjective 😉

 

[HelenJC]

Definitely smaller than an Eurasian teal, there are lots of those at our local nature reserve and while smaller than the mallards the size difference is much less striking. Looking at the ringed teal this looks like a perfect match ( photos rubbish but I did get a really good look with my bins🙂)

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Definitely smaller than an Eurasian teal, there are lots of those at our local nature reserve and while smaller than the mallards the size difference is much less striking. Looking at the ringed teal this looks like a perfect match ( photos rubbish but I did get a really good look with my bins🙂)

It is a Ringed Teal, Butty is basically saying there are similarly small wild duck species.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Well, size can be difficult to judge...
When seen together, Ringed teal does not seem smaller than common /Eurasian Teal , compare these (female Ringed teal flying with Common teals):

https://cdnmedia3.biolovision.net/www.ornitho.de/2020-10/19196-52031881-1422.jpg

https://cdnmedia3.biolovision.net/www.ornitho.de/2020-10/19196-52031881-5084.jpg

https://cdnmedia3.biolovision.net/www.ornitho.de/2020-10/19196-52031881-4042.jpg