Showing posts with label CAPE TEAL (Anas capensis). Show all posts
Showing posts with label CAPE TEAL (Anas capensis). Show all posts
Friday, 10 March 2023
Friday, 2 September 2022
Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Saturday, 3 April 2021
Thursday, 10 September 2020
Sunday, 16 February 2020
Thursday, 24 October 2019
23-10-2019 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - CAPE TEAL (Anas capensis)
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The Cape Teal (Anas capensis) is a pale grey, dabbling duck from sub-Saharan Africa, known for its distinctive pink bill, preferring salty wetlands and sewerage ponds, feeding on plants/insects, being mostly non-migratory but nomadic, and having quiet calls except for a male's whistle during breeding, with nests on the ground and female-only incubation.
Appearance & Identification
Color: Pale grey with mottled feathers, browner back, and distinct white wing markings in flight.
Bill: Pink with black edges and base, a key feature distinguishing it from other ducks.
Size: Small, about the size of a small house cat (44-46 cm long).
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Habitat & Behavior
Habitat: Found in diverse wetlands, especially salty vleis, saltpans, and man-made lagoons across Africa.
Movement: Nomadic, moving opportunistically with rains, but generally non-migratory.
Feeding: Dabbling duck, feeding on aquatic plants, insects, crustaceans, and tadpoles, sometimes diving.
Vocalization: Mostly quiet, with a male's clear whistle and a female's weak quack during mating.
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Reproduction
Nesting: Shallow ground nests lined with vegetation and feathers near water.
Eggs: Lays 4-13 eggs, incubated solely by the female for about 26-30 days.
Chicks: Instinctively swim and dive; stay with mother for about 56 days.
Interesting Facts
Dietary adaptation: Has tooth-like serrations on its bill for filter feeding.
Social: Can form large moulting flocks of up to 2000 birds.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC) by IUCN.
Saturday, 19 January 2019
16-1-2019 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - CAPE TEAL (Anas capensis)
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The Cape Teal (Anas capensis) is a pale grey, pink-billed dabbling duck found across Africa, preferring brackish wetlands like salt pans and sewage ponds, feeding on plants, insects, and small aquatic creatures, known for its quiet nature (male's whistle, female's quack), and nesting in ground scrapes, often in small flocks or pairs, moving opportunistically with rain.
Key CharacteristicsAppearance: Small, pale grey duck with a distinctive pink bill, reddish eyes, and a green/black speculum (wing patch).
Size: About 35-46 cm (14-18 in) long, weighing around 300-500g.
Voice: Males have a clear whistle, females a weak quack; generally quiet otherwise.
Habitat & Distribution
Habitat: Favors saltwater, brackish vleis (wetlands), salt pans, estuaries, sewage ponds, and farm dams.
Range: Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, from South Africa to Ethiopia, Namibia, and beyond.
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Diet & Behavior
Diet: Omnivorous, dabbling for aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and tadpoles.
Behavior: Primarily nocturnal, often solitary or in small groups, but large flocks form during moulting.
Reproduction
Nesting: Builds a ground scrape concealed by vegetation, often on islands or near water.
Eggs: Lays 4-13 eggs, incubated by the female for about 25-30 days.
Chicks: Follow their mother to water immediately, fledging in about 6 weeks.
Other Facts
Conservation: Listed as "Least Concern" by IUCN.
Nomadic: Moves opportunistically following rains rather than migrating long distances.
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Key Physical Characteristics
Distinctive Bill: Features a bright pink bill with a black base and tip; juveniles lack this pink coloration.
Plumage: Predominantly pale grey and mottled, often described as "ghostly" in flight.
Wing Markings: Displays a striking emerald-green and black speculum (wing patch) bordered by broad white bands.
Size: Measures approximately 35–48 cm (14–19 in) in length and weighs between 315–502 g.
Eyes: Adults typically have reddish to orange-red eyes.
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Habitat & Distribution
Range: Widespread but patchily distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Ethiopia, and Chad.
Preferred Waters: They favor shallow saline or brackish lagoons, salt pans, estuaries, and tidal mudflats, though they also use freshwater reservoirs and sewage treatment ponds.
Movement: Largely sedentary but highly nomadic, moving opportunistically in response to rainfall and drought.
Diet & Unique Behaviors
Omnivorous Diet: Feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, larvae) and small amphibians (tadpoles), supplemented by seeds and leaves of aquatic plants.
Unexpected Diving: Unlike most dabbling ducks, Cape teals are capable divers and can swim underwater with their wings closed to forage or escape predators.
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