Baikal Teal

Physical Features

The Baikal Teal is small dabbling duck with a striking head pattern that has been classified as a vulnerable species. The drake is distinctly different from the female and young. The breeding male has a striking metallic green nape with yellow and black auriculars, neck and throat, covered with a dark crown. He has a light brown breast covered in dark spots and long dark scapulars that drop and grey sides that are set off on the front and rear with white lines. Females have drab feathers compared to the males, which makes it hard for predators to spot them when they are looking after their nests. The female has a distinctive white spot on the cheek, at the base of the bill and a white throat that angles to the back of the eye. She also has a distinct light eyebrow bordered by a darker crown. Her wings are similar to that of the male. The plumage of the juveniles resembles that of the females although the sides of their heads are darker and their bellies are mottled-white. In non-breeding drakes, the plumage is similar to that of the female, but it is a much richer reddish-brown (rufous) color. They all have a dark grey bill, brown eyes, grey or yellowish-grey legs and dusky webbed feet. The mature Baikal Teal has a length of 17 inches and a height between 11.75 to 15.75 inches with an average weight around 1 pound.

Habitat

The Baikal Teal frequents pools, marshes, small lakes and rivers, in wooded areas and tundra. It nests in open tussock meadows near water and in mossy bogs with clumps of willows and larch. They breed in pools on the tundra edge and within swampy forests. During winter they can be found in dense aggregations where they frequent shallow freshwater areas, swamps and sheltered coasts. Baikal Teals are migratory birds that raise their young in Siberia, south of the Baikal Lake and Okhotsk Sea and are also found in Alaska and in northern west coast states while they spend the winters in Japan, China, and Korea. The species arrives in its wintering grounds from September, peaking through October and November and returns north mid March/early April.

Diet

The Baikal Teal dabbles by day and feeds in the fields by night. It has a varied diet that includes seeds, leaves, grass weeds, sedges, aquatic vegetation, grains and acorns. It also consumes small aquatic invertebrates, shellfish, snails and insects.

Meat

The Baikal Teal population has decreased rapidly in numbers and it is currently listed as a vulnerable species. This is primarily due to hunting although recent disease outbreaks and the conversion of dry rice paddies where they used to feed, into vegetable farms has also contributed to their decline. Baikal Teals are known to congregate in very large flocks, making it very easy to shoot or trap many birds at once. Baikal Teal flesh is red in color and resembles rare steak when it is sliced. It is succulent and has a delicate flavor that is more similar to steak than chicken.

Behavior

Baikal Teals are gregarious birds that form large flocks in winter. They create colorful acrobatic formations in the sky during flight and as they change direction the formations resemble a dance. They approach the feeding areas in a noisy swarm. The Baikal Teal male utters non-stop contact calls when in flocks, on water or when flying. This call is a deep chattering/chuckling “wot-wot-wot.” Females utter low “couac” calls. Pairs form in the wintering areas, but the breeding season starts in May, once they have returned north. The Baikal Teal is a solitary nester, but at times they may nest in small groups. The nest is built by the female and it is situated in a dry place, near water. She uses vegetation, grasses, pieces of plants and willow to construct the nest. The female lays between 6-14 pale green eggs that hatch after about 24-27 days incubation. The male abandons the female as soon as the chicks are born. The chicks are completely covered in feathers after about 45-55 days. They only reach sexual maturity after one year.

You must select a state from the menu above to view regulations.