Ringed Teal

The ringed teal is 35–38 cm (14–15 in) long, with a 70 cm (28 in) wingspan, and a weight of 190–360 g (6.7–12.7 oz). The drake has a rich chestnut back, pale grey flanks, and a salmon-coloured breast speckled in black. A black band runs from the top of its head down to the nape. Females have an olive-brownish back, a head blotched and striated in white, and pencilled barring on a pale chest and belly. Both males and females have a dark tail, a contrasting pale rump, and a distinctive white patch on the wing. The bill is grey and legs and feet are pink in both sexes. Pairs easily bond. Their contact calls are a cat-like mee-oowing in ducks and a lingering peewoo in drakes. The male and female retain similar plumage throughout the year, lacking an eclipse plumage. Ringed teals also have webbed toes with long, pointed claws that allow the birds to sit on tree branches.

Their habitats include tropical, swampy forests and marshy clearings in well-wooded lowlands, as well as secluded pools and small streams. As a predominantly aquatic species, ringed teals eat a variety of aquatic plants and invertebrates, as well as any seeds that can be found. Ringed teals are classified as "dabblers" as opposed to "divers". Dabblers tend to feed on plant and insect material near the surface of the water, whereas divers feed on plants, invertebrates, and fish deeper under the water's surface. Although dabblers may submerge their heads and upper torso while putting their tails up in the air, also known as "up-ending", they rarely completely submerge themselves and stay under for periods of time, such as the diving ducks do.