Auckland Islands Teal

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Auckland Islands Teal in front, with Brown Teal behind

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Anas
Species:	A. aucklandica

Binomial name

Anas aucklandica
(Gray, 1844)

The Auckland Islands Teal (Anas aucklandica) is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Anas that is endemic to Auckland Islands south of New Zealand. The species was once found throughout the Auckland Islands but is now restricted to the islands that lack introduced predators; Adams Island, Enderby Island, Disappointment Island and a few smaller islands. An old report of "the same flightless duck" on North East Island, The Snares group (Hector, 1896) most likely refers to a straggler.

The Auckland Islands Teal is smaller and raker than the Brown Teal of the main islands of New Zealand, a species that it was once considered conspecific with. The plumage is all over brown with a hint of green on the neck and a conspicuous white eyering. The female is slightly daker than the male. The wings are very small and the species has, like the related Campbell Island Teal, lost the power of flight.

The Auckland Islands Real is mostly crepuscular to nocturnal, preferring to hide from predators (New Zealand Falcons and skuas) during the day. The species inhabits a variety of habitats with the islands, including tussockgrass fields, megaherb shrubland and coastal waters. It is carnivrous for the most part, feeding on marine invertabrates, insects, amphipods and other small invertebrates. The Auckland Islands Teal are territorial and seldom form flocks.

[edit] References

Hector, J. (1896). "Dr Collins' testimony of a Snares Island duck" Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 29: 614. PDF fulltext
Williams, M (2005) "Auckland Islands Teal Anas aucklandica" P.p. 579-581. In Kear J. (Ed) Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World, Volume 2 Oxford University Press:Oxford ISBN: 0-19-854645-9