Grey Teal
Anas gracilis
Also known as: Gray Teal
About This Species
A nomadic dabbling duck of Australian and New Zealand wetlands, often seen in loose flocks on shallow lagoons, floodplains and salt lakes, dabbling at the surface or upending for plant material and invertebrates. Numbers at any one site can shift quickly, since the species tracks rainfall and moves to newly flooded habitat where it may breed opportunistically. Good numbers are most likely after rain has filled inland wetlands, rather than in any fixed calendar season.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- It is protected under Australian and New Zealand wildlife legislation, which generally prohibits hunting outside of any designated open season and disturbance of breeding birds.
- Viewing from a hide, vehicle or the wetland margin without approaching resting or feeding flocks directly is the most practical way to watch without flushing them.
- Because specific hunting and protection rules differ between Australia and New Zealand, and between Australian states, local regulations should be checked before any activity beyond quiet observation.
LCAvesAnseriformesAnatidae
Seasonal Activity
620,496 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
Photo
(c) annotate, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.