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Bird Photos: Escapees: Ringed Teal
This bird was present at the Oka Ponds next to
Los Gatos Creek Park, in the town of Campbell, Santa Clara County,
CA, around 12/01/96. This is a nice place to find wintering waterfowl
because of the numerous large impoundments that are permanently
filled with water. Because of the species' limited range and non-migratory
behavior, this bird probably escaped from captivity. No possible
sources were ever known.
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The Ringed Teal is an attractive
little duck that, despite its name, is not closely related
to the regular teal species that winter in the San Francisco
Bay Area. I photographed this adult male around 12/01/96.
It shares a few features of our regular teal
species. It has a spotted breast similar to Blue-winged
Teal; its bill is similar in structure to Cinnamon and Blue-winged
teal; it has a glossy green speculum, or secondary feathers.
The female of the species has brown and white
facial patches reminiscent of winter-plumaged female Long-tailed
Ducks, brown-barred flanks and breast, and brown, not chestnut,
wing coverts. |
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When Harriet Gerson and I
first saw this bird, we thought it was some kind of hybrid.
But the clean, clear quality of the markings seemed different
than any hybrid we've seen. Fortunately, I had my copy of
the Madge & Burn Waterfowl identification guide in my
car and was able to consult it while the bird was present.
Note the nice dark central crown stripe that
extends down the nape to the base of the neck. The color
of the green secondaries are barely discernable in the overcast
lighting conditions. The gray flanks have fine vermiculations
similar to a male Gadwall. |
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This species has a relatively
small range, limited to the interior of central South America.
It seems to engage in a small amount of dispersion but is
not really considered a migrant. It is the only member of
its genus, Callonetta. |
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All images on this page are copyrighted by Les Chibana.
If you'd like to contact me about images on these pages,
grab the pigeon on the left and send a note. |
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