Habitat: Apart from the dry interior, the Grey Teal is found all over Australia with large populations in the wetlands of the Murray-Darling basin. The bird is a nomadic traveler and can be found on lakes, dams, wetlands and estuaries of brackish water. It is commonly seen in pairs or small flocks at Bushy Park Wetlands. As inland water levels fall in summer many Grey Teal move to the coast. Flight: Swift with rapid wing beats. Similar to Chestnut Teal but with a white throat and without the chestnut and white underbody of the male Chestnut Teal. Voice: The female has a repeated "cack-cack-cack", whereas the male has a more muted "peep". Their voice is similar to the Chestnut Teal. |
Food: The diet is varied and feeding birds dabble in the shallows for seeds and shoots of aquatic plants for up to half their diet. A third of their food comes from weeds, sedges and grasses on land, with a similar percentage from insects and aquatic animals including, dragonflies, water boatmen, beetles, mosquitos, yabbies, shrimps, mussels and minute crustaceans.
Breeding: : It breeds in dispersed single pairs but, during major floods, these may be so closely packed as to constitute, in effect, a vast single colony. Several broods may be raised in succession if there is above average flooding. The nest is always near water and the male takes little part in nesting activities. Tree cavities are favoured if available, otherwise the female Grey Teal makes a nest in a shallow bowl of grass, in a rock crevice or in reeds. The nest is lined with down and usually contains 6 to 9 cream coloured 50 x 40 mm eggs which hatch in 24 to 26 days. |
