PUNA TEAL
SPATULA PUNA
HABITAT
High Andes in large lakes, marshes, ponds, and tussock grass moorland, inland wetlands
GEOGRAPHIC REGION & RANGE
Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
DIET
Puna Teal are omnivores. They eat, eat seeds of water plants and insects in the wild and Mazuri waterfowl pellets and greens in the zoo.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
• Black cap that extend below the eyes
• Lower face and neck are white
• Upper tail is gray
• Rear flanks are dark brown with thin stripes
• Body is light coffee with brown spots. Powder clue bill with a black line down the middle
LIFESPAN
Natural Habitat: unknown
Under Human Care: 10 years
STATUS
Least Concern. Though the overall population of the Puna teal is stable, its habitat is under threat from agricultural practices and wetland degradation.
Fun Facts
A teal duck is a type of small freshwater dabbling duck. While there are numerous different species of teal ducks, they all share similar traits that set them apart from the rest of the duck family, including their petite size, habitat, body proportions, feeding behavior and unique color.
The puna teal has changed genus. They used to belong to the genus Anas, which included all dabbling ducks. But genetic evidence cause Anas to be split and the puna teal is now in the genus of Spatula.
The word “teal” refers to types of small ducks.
A group of teal is called a ‘spring’. This is because when they take off into the air they do so almost vertically.
What are AZA Zoos doing for Puna Teal?
The AZA supports waterfowl conservation initiative worldwide and has several wetland protection projects in South America.