Features and characteristics of teal ducks
The teal duck (anas crecca 01) is one of the most compact water birds found in virtually any region of Russia. The breed received its name for the peculiar sounds that it emits, similar to "teal, teal".
Teal whistle duck
Differences of the breed
Teal-klokotun weighs about 0.5 kg. The main feature of the teal is the structure of the wings. They are narrow, with pointed ends, so the bird can take off almost vertically. This feature allows the teal to land even in the most inaccessible places. Teals are not at all whimsical regarding their place of residence, so their settlements can be found throughout Russia, except for the northern cold zones. Most often, birds settle near small forest lakes or swamps with stagnant water.
There are several varieties of teal:
- brown teal;
- spotted teal;
- teal cracker;
- teal blue-winged;
- teal pune;
- multi-colored teal;
- teal whistle duck.
The characteristic name was given to the birds for their voice. During the mating season, the male invites females, throwing his head back, emitting a whistle or bubbling. The voice is used only during the mating season to attract a female, with whom a common offspring will be created. Teals are divided into small groups. Nesting areas are arranged near water bodies. They dig a depression in the ground and line the bottom with foliage, grass, twigs. The bird lays down its feather in the circle of the nesting place.
Characteristic
The description of some subspecies needs to be considered in more detail. A gray-colored female teal cracker with a long beak. The drake has an ash-gray color of the wings on the outside. During mating games, the head plumage acquires a reddish-brown color, and a white stripe stretches from the eye to the back of the head. It is very easy to distinguish the sex of birds: males make a characteristic sound in their voices, reminiscent of "cre-crerr", the girl makes a high "quack" and her plumage is of a darker color.
The whistle is the most compact member of the species. The female is distinguished by a gray color, dark shoulders and a speck on the head. The male teal whistle wears a white stripe on its shoulder, and the gap between its tail and belly is yellow. Flocks of ducks are capable of fast, maneuverable, synchronized turns.
The spotted or marbled representative is found in the Caspian region and the Volga delta. This is one of the endangered species.
Adult ducks weigh 400-600 g and have a gullible character. They spend a lot of time in water bodies, dive well and move on water. The usual habitat for these birds is small reservoirs with dense vegetation. Drainage by humans reduces the population of wild ducks.
Birds of the continents teal-kloktun are an "aristocratic" representative of the genus. They are considered the most coveted prey among hunters, because they are quite rare on the lands of Russia. In most cases, they can be found on Sakhalin Island and in Central Asia. The teal head is adorned with golden-green abstractions.
Reproduction
In comparison with other families, teals become sexually mature already in the first year of life, although they do not necessarily begin to reproduce in this very year. The beginning of courtship falls on the first freeze-up. For northern regions it is May, for more southern regions it is March. Certain individuals form pairs at winter quarters or in flight, the rest - upon reaching the nesting site.
Ducks often hibernate apart from drakes. Most of the females, with the onset of cold weather, leave their homes and fly to warmer areas. At this moment, the drakes winter in the northern latitudes. In the fall, the boy begins to gurgle near the girl, picking up a pair. Performing a mating dance, males lower their head into the water, and then, sharply raising it, emit a drawn-out sound that resembles a whistle, bubbling or crackling. Having formed a pair, teals remain faithful until the eggs hatch.
The female is able to lay 8-10 eggs in one clutch. The hatching period is about 23 days. The egg is white with a slight yellow tint. From birth, the ducklings are very well adapted. Their survival rate is almost one hundred percent. They are already able to fly in a month.
Structure
The described species is a small representative of the order of Anseriformes. Such birds are widespread in the taiga zones, with the exception of the northern parts. The structure and size of individuals:
- standard beak, slightly smaller than the head, of the same width along its entire length, about 10-12 cm, with a narrow claw;
- oval nostrils;
- the wings do not reach the tip of the tail;
- the total length of the male is from 33 to 38 cm, the female is 30.5-36 cm;
- male wing is 17.3-19.3 cm, female - 16.5-18 cm;
- the weight of an adult whistle teal varies from 250 to 400 g.
The paw prints are almost symmetrical, excluding the length of the first toe, which is bent towards the axis of the track. The extreme fingers are of the same size, curved in an arc. The size of the footprint is 4 x 3.6 cm.
Generalization
The teal whistle is a compact waterfowl with narrow wings, a short body and a short neck. Its flight is almost noiseless, the landing is smooth. A teal can land in any hard-to-reach place; it can take off both from land and from water. Its plumage is discreet. In the spring, in the mating season, the boys are gray, their head is dark brown with a green stripe, the back is yellow, a gray stripe stretches along the entire wing. The abdomen is white, on the sides and shoulder blades are ashy feathers, the breast is covered with pink feathers with dark spots. In the photo you can see all the beauty of the wings, the variety of plumage colors.
During molting, males become completely gray, very similar to ducks. The black beak and mirrored plumage on the wings will remain distinctive features. The female remains all year long with the same feather color. The predominant color is dark brown with lighter rims. It looks almost like a mallard, but smaller.
The whistle got its nickname for the peculiar voice that it uses to attract the attention of females, as well as for its compactness, therefore the name of the breed is diminutive. The duck girl uses her voice to protect the offspring, giving a special signal in times of danger, having heard which, the ducklings hide.
In Russia, teal hunting is a fairly popular activity. The pleasant taste of meat makes it a tasty prey for hunters. Of the subspecies, the teal-whistle or crackling is shot, the teal kloktun is included in the Red Book, therefore, its shooting is strictly prohibited.