Marbled Teal
Marmaronetta angustirostris

Habitat: Wetlands, brackish waters rich in vegetation.

Range: Fragmented distribution; eastern and western Mediterranean region, north and sub-Saharan west Africa, Iran, Pakistan and northwest India.

Natural Diet: Aquatic plants (seeds, roots, tubers, green parts); also aquatic insects, larvae, mollusks, worms.

Status in the Wild: Vulnerable

 

Animal Facts

Marbled teal are medium-sized dabbling ducks. The adult birds have sandy-brown colored feathers. They are 15 to 17 inches long and have dark brown eye patches and a dark bill. They are known to feed in shallow water.This species is gregarious even during breeding season when flocks of teal build nests close to one another. Females lay 7 to 10 eggs in a clutch.

Conservation: It has been recorded that 50% of their habitat may have been destroyed in this century. Hydrological work and wetland drainage is known to have had a detrimental effect on several breeding sites in their distibutional range. Marbled teal population numbers have also depleted due to illegal hunting.

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