# Ringed Teal (*Callonetta leucophrys*) The Ringed Teal is a small, colorful duck with a beautiful ring around its neck. They are friendly and love to swim in calm waters, making them fun to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Ringed Teal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Callonetta_leucophrys_168882579.jpg&width=800) Photo: calimecita, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callonetta_leucophrys_168882579.jpg) ## Appearance The Ringed Teal is a small, elegant duck, featuring a prominent black cap and a distinct black line forming a ring around the nape. Males have a chestnut-brown back, pale grey flanks, and a pinkish bill. Females are duller with a mottled brown appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Callonetta ## Interesting facts - Male Ringed Teals flash iridescent green feathers on their wings, though it's often hidden when resting. - Their soft, high-pitched whistling calls sound very different from a typical duck's loud 'quack'. - This duck is one of the smallest waterfowl species in the world, barely bigger than a pigeon! - Unlike many ducks, Ringed Teals prefer to nest in tree hollows high above the ground near water. ## Special abilities - **Tree Percher:** Ringed Teal can perch comfortably in trees because of strong, sharp claws that help them grip branches securely. - **Agile Flier:** Ringed Teal has exceptional maneuverability in flight that helps them swiftly navigate dense forest canopy and tricky wetlands. - **Underwater Seeker:** Ringed Teal can dive and swim efficiently underwater to find submerged seeds and tiny invertebrates. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 35-38 cm - **Wingspan:** 58-62 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.45 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 26-28 days ## Diet & Feeding Ringed Teals eat a mix of seeds, aquatic plants, and tiny insects from freshwater habitats. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic seeds, algae, water plants, insect larvae, small invertebrates - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Roadside Hawk (*Buteo magnirostris*) — Predatory hawk that may hunt adults or ducklings. - **Eaten by:** Neotropical Otter (*Lontra longicaudis*) — Aquatic mammal that can prey on eggs and young ducklings. - **Eats:** [Common Water Hyacinth](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-water-hyacinth) (*Eichhornia crassipes*) — They consume the seeds and vegetation of this floating plant. ## Traits - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ringed Teal? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ringed Teal? 35-38 cm ### What is Ringed Teal's wingspan? 58-62 cm ### How much does Ringed Teal weigh? 0.3-0.45 kg ### How long does Ringed Teal live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Ringed Teal move? 70 km/h ### What does Ringed Teal eat? Ringed Teals eat a mix of seeds, aquatic plants, and tiny insects from freshwater habitats. ### Where is Ringed Teal usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ringed Teal: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ringed-teal)