A short description of the teal duck whistle. Teal whistle duck. Description of the breed and life cycle. For nests, females choose

This baby most likely earned the name because of her unusual voice, which resembles the sounds of "teal, teal". The teal duck is the smallest of all wild water birds. That is why among the people these babies deserve such a childish, affectionate name.

Teal ducks can be easily recognized by their take-off characteristics. After all, few birds can boast of the ability to take off vertically and land even on abundantly vegetated bodies of water. How does a duck exhibit such flying prowess? The secret lies in the anatomical features of the wings: they are very narrow, and also have well-pointed ends.

There are several species of this bird in nature, but the most common are the teal-whistle and teal-cracker.

The teal whistle is the most numerous bird in its range. Its weight can be different, but you will not meet all very well-fed birds: from 200 to 450 g.

These crumbs have an unusually beautiful color. The head and neck on top of a drake in breeding plumage are colored reddish brown, and the chin and neck below are black. Both sides of the head are decorated with bluish-green stripes with a rich reddish tint. The stripes have a narrow border whitethat extends from the eyes to the chin.

The color of the upper part of the body, as well as the sides and undertail, is light gray, diluted with black stripes. The lower back and upper tail are brownish-gray. Coming closer to the bird, you can see that the upper tail itself has a beautiful velvety black border. The color of the belly is light buffy, and the mirrors are deep green. The chest, as well as the goiter, are covered with a beautiful black speck. The color of the paws is gray with an olive tint, the beak is black. The color of the wing liner is white.

A duck is easy to distinguish from a drake. The color of its plumage is dominated by brownish-brown colors, diluted with black spots.

The mirror is the same as that of the male, but it is slightly narrower and decorated with a white border. The throat is white. The legs are the same as those of the drake.

In the summer and spring, the color of the male changes: it becomes more monotonous and acquires brownish-gray shades. Then you can distinguish it from a duck only with the help of a mirror (the color does not change for a whole year) and by the characteristic black color of the beak. The color of the female is unchanged.

The teal cracker is not as common as its relative described above. Even from a great distance, you can distinguish a cracker from a whistle, because the bird is produced by a wide, clearly visible strip of white color, which is located above the eye. Also, the beak of the cracker is longer, and has a monochromatic dark gray color (at the base, the beak of the cracker is colored orange-yellow).

Its weight, though small, but still the crackers are more in weight than the whistle ducks. The voice of females is no different from the voice of the whistle duck. But in the spring the drake emits a crackling cry, which is more reminiscent of the words-sounds "crer-crerrer".

When teals arrive in the spring, or leave their homes in the fall, you can see their large flocks in the sky. Moreover, in spring, birds appear a little later than representatives of other duck breeds and they often postpone autumn migration.

Birds fly fast and lively. If the flock wants to descend to some place, then the behavior of the birds is very interesting: they make a turn, and thus create a dark ball, then develop into a lighter strip.

Habitat

Birds inhabit the entire territory of Russia, as well as the CIS countries (with the exception of the cold northern regions of Siberia). Ducks of this breed prefer the forest-tundra, as well as the forest-steppe. Birds choose lakes for nesting sites, which have managed to be well overgrown with reeds and other emerging vegetation.

But they especially like small lakes with calm stagnant water, as well as sedge swamps. After all, it is here that they can find food for themselves: mollusks, small insects, emerging plants. Teal duck nests are located near water bodies, but there are cases when they can be found at a distance of about half a kilometer from the water. But this fact is easy to explain: if in spring the nest was located close to the reservoir, then during the summer the lake had time to dry up, thereby moving away from the nest.

Reproduction

Puberty in teals occurs already in the first year of life. Mating games begin in the spring. It should be noted interesting fact: during the nesting period, the male teal looks after not only ducks of its own species, but also pursues ducks of other breeds, even mallards.

The males take care of the ducks. They circle around the female, while their head is pressed to the body, and their beak is lowered into the water. From time to time, in order to win the attention of the female, the drakes demonstrate their characteristic whistle, while sharply throwing their heads up, and also trying to raise a large fountain of splashes. There is another way: the drake demonstrates its beautiful mirror with a metallic sheen, spreading its wing and making a rattling sound, running its beak with a fingernail along the lower part of the feather shaft. Females are much more silent, although from time to time they make high voiced sounds.

Teal ducks hide their nests well. They arrange them not only in sedge. If there is a forest near the favorite ducks of the reservoir, then birds arrange nests in a fern, as well as in thickets of pine or spruce, under brushwood. Females are serious about building a nest. First, they dig a small hole, and then cover the bottom well with dry plants and twigs. Also, the nest is completely covered with feathers.

It wouldn't be fair if we didn't mention teal eggs. They are very small and matte, greenish in color. The shape of the eggs of the teal cracks and whistles is slightly different: in the former, it is more elongated.

There are about twelve eggs in each nest, especially caring parents lay even fifteen, so it remains only to wonder how this little tiny bird can hatch such an amount. The hatching term ranges from 21 to 24 days.

Chicks are very lively already in the first hours of their life. They almost immediately jump into the water, learn to swim, dive, run on the water. Monthly chicks can fly. Although it cannot be said that ducks of this breed are not caring mothers. If the beloved chicks are in danger, then the female risks her life without hesitation, I try to take the predator away from her babies.

Ducks of this breed are unprecedented long-livers. The maximum officially recorded age of a teal in Europe is twenty-one years.

Ducks and drakes often hibernate separately. Females prefer southern latitudes, and males prefer northern ones.The wings of birds are very narrow, which is why they can take off very quickly. This is probably the reason why teals are of great interest to hunters.

Everyone knows that duck eggs are delicious. But here the teal also excelled, so the taste of these birds' eggs rank first among the eggs of other breeds. The same goes for meat. Therefore, the teal duck is the main and desired trophy of any hunt.

Video "Teal Whistles"

The recording shows teals in their natural habitat.

Kira Stoletova

Domestic duck is a waterfowl, not very large bird, the ancestor of which is the wild mallard. Some modern breeds trace their ancestry back to the American musk duck. Ducks were first domesticated 3000 years ago in Southeast Asia, about 2500 years ago they were domesticated in Greece and Ancient Rome... The domestication of birds in different parts of the world proceeded independently of each other. Several dozen breeds with different names have now been bred. Breeding of these birds remains popular as they are productive and easy to care for.

Features of domestic ducks

Domestic ducks are rather large birds with an elongated neck and body, a small head, and short webbed feet. Their four hind tail feathers are bent upward, like those of wild mallard drakes. Males are practically no different from females, the drake may be slightly larger than the duck. The feathers of the pedigree species are mostly white, but many colored poultry are also found.

How much does a domestic duck weigh? The average body weight of these birds is 3-4 kg, the meat yield reaches 70%. During the season, a duck can lay from 60-70 eggs to 250-300 eggs. In general, poultry produce 100-150 eggs per year. Get to know the duck and her appearance you can learn more by looking at photos and videos.

Domestic species have lost the ability to fly, but have not lost the ability and desire to swim, therefore in many farms they continue to be kept near water bodies. There are breeds that can be kept in a cage or with very limited range. Some industrial producers practice co-breeding of ducks and fish so that birds can swim in water bodies.

Use of ducks

IN European countries duck is mainly used for meat production. Several breeds in France are used to obtain fatty foie gras liver, although it is of inferior quality than that of a goose. In Asia, ducks are also raised for eggs, as they are often used in traditional local cuisine. In Indonesia, some countries in Southeast Asia, ducks are used to clear rice fields after harvest from pests and rice debris.

In addition to meat and eggs, valuable down and feathers can be obtained from ducks. They keep heat very well and are used to make blankets, pillows, and winter clothes.

Domestic ducks gain weight very quickly, therefore their breeding does not lose its relevance. For example, broilers can be slaughtered as early as 50-52 days of age with a weight of 3-3.5 kg. Previously, these birds in the household ranked second after chickens. Now they have given way to the turkeys, although in many Asian countries they retain their leadership.

Duck breeds

Most ducks that are bred in private farms are not purebred, although they prefer to use selective birds in industrial and semi-industrial conditions. Duck breeds with different names have three directions:

• meat;
• egg;
• meat and egg (universal);
• decorative.

The most popular large meat variety of ducks in the world is Peking White. She is the ancestor of many varieties of broilers and other meat varieties. Muscovy ducks are also widely used in breeding. They do not have such fatty meat as Peking ones, it tastes a little like game. By crossing Peking ducks and musk ducks, a breed of mulard hybrids was bred. They are sterile, since the parents belong to different types... Other breeds, the ancestors of which were the white Peking ducks:

• cherry Valley white broiler ducks;
• blue duck Favorite;
• gray or colored Bashkir;
• moscow white.

There are also local breeds that have been bred in Europe since ancient times. These include:

• swedish blue;
• gray Ukrainian;
• black white-breasted.

A special place is occupied by Indian runner ducks, which belong to egg-laying breeds. In America, the black kayuga duck is known, which lays the same black eggs. Decorative ducks have become popular in Europe not so long ago, although they have been bred in China for centuries. The decorative direction includes a beautiful colored mandarin duck, white crested. Sometimes skiffs are bred as decorative ones.

Breeding and keeping domesticated ducks does not present any particular problems, therefore it is available even for beginners. In small private farms, preference is given to free range, preferably with the presence of a reservoir. On a pond or river, birds can independently obtain food for themselves, which significantly reduces costs. If there is no natural swimming place, you can equip a small pool in the yard.

Industrial maintenance can be of two types: cage and limited range. Broodstock even on industrial enterprises try to keep it in a spacious room or in an open cage to maintain fertility.

• Temperature. When high temperatures the quality of the pen is lost, with low or sharp drops, the risk of colds increases. In winter, the temperature in the house should be kept within 7-14 ° С, in summer - not higher than 12 ° С.
• Humidity. With high or low humidity, birds gain weight poorly, lose down and feathers. The optimal performance is 65-75%.
• Lighting. Additionally, light should be provided in winter so that the ducks recover and run better. Daylight hours should be 9-12 hours in winter, and 12-14 hours in spring (during oviposition).

How do you know if the conditions for keeping ducks and caring for them are unsatisfactory without appliances? If the temperature is too low, the birds huddle together, huddle together. When ducks are hot, they protrude their wings, breathe often with open beaks, drink a lot of water and try to get into drinkers. If the house is very humid, you will find that feather loss is much higher than before. When the humidity is low where the ducks live, their thirst increases.

Room requirements

It is not difficult to build a house for ducks; you can fully use the description of the chicken coop project. If you plan to keep 10-15 heads in the household, they can live with other birds. Keeping and breeding larger livestock requires a separate room. One duck requires 0.5 m² of area. Most often, the house is made a little larger so that the flock can be increased.

A duck house can be built from any material, but wood is best. From the inside, it should be covered with plaster, plywood, cardboard, and also insulated. This will ensure dryness in the barn, protect the birds from the cold in winter. Be sure to provide ventilation in the house. For 1 m² of area there should be 100 cm² of windows. In industrial farms, supply and exhaust ventilation is installed.

The floor in the house is raised 15-20 cm above the ground, it is best to make it from planks. Be sure to lay a bedding about 30 cm thick on the floor. Keeping on bare boards is unacceptable, since ducks can catch arthritis, colds, and the mortality of birds will increase dramatically. They make bedding from peat, straw, sedge, dry reeds or other handy material. We must not forget about lighting. The light bulb is not hung too bright, for 60-100 W, depending on the area.

Ducks. Breeding from A to Z.

Ducks Mulard. decided to try. all the truth. What How For What ???

The subtleties of breeding musk ducks.

Ducks are made from the southwest or southeast side. It should be 40 cm wide and 30 cm high. Above the manhole, on the outside, you can equip a small canopy to protect the ducks from rain and drafts. If the ducks cannot freely walk in the yard, they make an aviary. One individual should have at least 3 m² of its area. Be sure to put a large container of water in the aviary, in which the ducks can swim. When there is an opportunity to release ducks into a meadow and a pond, there is no need to equip an aviary.

Inventory

The ducks' house is equipped with feeders, drinkers and nests for eggs. Feeders are made of wood, the thickness of the board should be at least 2 cm. For wet mash, you can make a metal feeder or upholster with wooden tin. For one bird, you need to calculate an average of 10 cm² of feed container. A bar is nailed on top of the feeder, which will prevent the ducks from climbing inside and trampling food. The feeder for mineral supplements is equipped separately; it can be divided into several compartments.

Drinking bowls are made of metal, it is easier to keep the water clean in them. One duck per day should consume at least 600 ml of liquid. The volume of drinkers for the flock is calculated based on this need. The walls of the drinkers should be about 20 cm so that birds do not climb inside. In summer, feeders and drinkers are placed in an aviary or yard. How to make feeders and drinkers correctly can be seen in the photo and video.

Nests are installed in dark remote places of the poultry house so that other birds have less contact with the duck and it does not get scared. It is best to place them near the walls, providing free access. The size of the nest is 40 × 50 × 50 cm. A small nut 5-10 cm high is equipped at the front wall so that the eggs do not roll out and the litter does not spill out. Straw, dry leaves, sedge or the same material that is used for bedding in the house is placed inside. One nest is equipped for three birds.

Ducks lay at night or in the morning, so eggs should be collected after the birds go out for a walk in the enclosure or yard. Ducks are very shy, so check the masonry as carefully as possible. The frightened bird reduces or completely loses its egg production.

Feeding ducks

Domestic ducks are waterfowl. In nature, they ate mainly grass, duckweed, ate snails, juicy stalks of algae, therefore, their diet should have approximately the same ratio of grain and greens to root crops. Be sure to provide products that are of animal origin. The most commonly used meat, meat and bone or fish flour... The diet of domestic duck includes:

• cereals (corn, wheat, barley, oats);
• legumes (peas, beans, lupine, lentils);
• agricultural production waste (cake and oilseed meal, beet cake, brewer's yeast);
• succulent feed (grass, duckweed, tops of plants, vegetables, silage);
• mineral additives (chalk, shells, fine gravel).

The ratio of feed on the menu depends on various factors. If you plan to keep and feed for meat, add more cereals to the diet. The broodstock that is involved in breeding ducklings should not be overfeeded, even if it is a beef breed. Obese ducks lay poorly, and drakes poorly fertilize eggs.

In the summer, ducks that are on free grazing get the main food themselves. While swimming in water bodies, they eat algae, duckweed, molluscs, and snails. In this case, you can give the ducks to eat 2 times a day. Before slaughter, they switch to three meals a day. In winter, cereals and silage form the basis of the diet. Industrial enterprises use compound feed. Be sure to add herbal flour, vegetables, vitamins to the winter diet. Ducks are given 3-4 times a day in winter.

Breeding ducks

Breeding stock formation

To breed ducks at home to be successful, you need to properly form the broodstock. They begin to select ducklings from birth. First, they pay attention to the strongest and most mobile ones, then they monitor the weight gain, and those who are the best to recover are selected for the mother herd. The last selection is carried out in 150 days, weight in kg, appearance, activity and mobility are estimated.

It is best for the mother herd to take ducklings that were born in July or August. If multiple selection is practiced, January, May, and September chicks can be taken. There should be 8 females per 1 drake, although in wildlife one drake lives with one duck. The mother flock is separated from other ducks, which are intended for meat.

Keeping and caring for a parent flock is an important part of a successful duck breeding. Birds should live in a separate aviary or poultry house. It is important to keep the nests clean and the litter is changed daily. On the eve of oviposition, daylight hours are gradually increased to ultimately last 16 hours. The average productivity of ducks from the mother herd is 2-3 years. A good drake can live up to 8 years.

Incubation of eggs

Domestic duck is an excellent brood hen, this applies to almost all breeds. The Peking type can even hatch eggs of other species, such as geese. Poor maternal instincts are developed in hybrid broilers, and mularda are generally sterile.

When the female begins to lay, you need to take the eggs from her, carefully fold and store at 13 ° C. The eggs are turned daily to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell.

If a duck has stopped walking, plucking the fluff from its chest to insulate the nest, and sits there for a long time, it means that it is ready to hatch. You can put a test egg under it. The female should sit on it for at least 10 hours a day. Incubation takes 26-28 days, during this time the hen needs to be provided with normal care, rest, access to water, and normal feeding.

When there is no brood hen, artificial incubation can be carried out. Use a standard incubator for this, as for chicken eggs. In the first days, the temperature should be 38 ° C, then it is gradually reduced to 37 ° C. After the 20th day, periodic cooling is practiced (2-3 times a day for 10-15 minutes). The incubator should be well ventilated with moderate humidity within 60%. Duck embryos require more oxygen than chicken embryos. You can periodically irrigate the shell with water at room temperature, because in nature the duck periodically goes to the pond to search for food, then sits down on the clutch with wet feathers.

Growing young animals

Domestic duck is mainly meat poultry, so most ducklings are raised for meat. It is very important for young animals to provide good care in the first days, normal temperature and feeding. In the first days, the temperature in the room is maintained at 28-30 ° C, then it is gradually reduced. Lighting should be around the clock in the first week, then it is reduced daily by an hour.

Egg yolk will feed the chicks in the first 18 hours, but during this period they should learn to eat regular food. First they are given food rich in protein. In the first 20 days, the protein content in the feed should be about 20%, then it gradually decreases to 11-15%. Little ducklings are fed with boiled eggs and curds. From the second or third day they can be given porridge, cottage cheese. It is important in the early days to show the ducklings how to eat correctly. For this, food is poured onto their backs, carefully placed in beaks.

At the end of the first week, chopped herbs are added to the food. From day 10, ducklings can be released into the street so that they learn how to get their own food. Chicks know how to swim from birth, so it's good to provide them with access to water. If they grow with a duck, it will begin to bring them to the reservoir during the first day.

It is very important to select chicks in the first days if the plans are to create a broodstock. Ducklings are assessed according to the following criteria:

• uniform pigmented and fluffy plumage;
• soft tummy, umbilical cord without bruising;
• eyes are convex, shiny;
• the wings are tightly pressed to the body;
• weight not less than 50 g.

In the future, you need to monitor the behavior of the chicks, the rate of weight gain. Ducklings are carefully examined for defects. Birds that are intended to be raised for meat are kept separately. Already from the 20th day, their intensive feeding begins. You can release ducks into the pond, then the weight will come more slowly, but the feed consumption will be less. If the ducks live indoors or on a limited range, they are fed 3-4 times a day with a predominance of grains and legumes.

Ducks are sent to slaughter 60-70 days before molting. If you skip this moment, you will have to wait about 120 days, which will entail unnecessary feed consumption. Broilers can be slaughtered and cut at the age of 50-52 days. By that time, the bird weighs an average of 3.5 kg (the average live weight of ordinary birds at this age is only 2-2.5 kg, or even less). Many people prefer to take these breeds for cultivation, since their productivity is higher.

The teal duck got its name due to the fact that the sounds it makes are reminiscent of "teal". This is the smallest waterfowl wild bird in nature, therefore it is often called a diminutive - a duck.

The first feature of the teal is its characteristic takeoff. Few birds are able to take off vertically and descend even in abundantly overgrown reservoirs. Such capabilities of this bird come from the anatomy of its wings. They are extremely narrow with highly pointed ends.

There are several types of teal, the most famous and widespread of them are:

1. Teal whistle.
2. Teal cracker.

Teal whistle

The most widespread and numerous bird in its habitat. Its weight is very small - from 200 to 450 grams.

These little ducks have the following external description: the whistles have a very beautiful color. In the drake, the head and neck are painted from above in a reddish-brown color, the chin and neck in black. On the sides there are blue-green stripes, casting a deep red. The stripes have a narrow white border that extends from the eyes to the chin of the bird. The upper part of the body, sides and undertail are light gray with black stripes, the back and upper tail are brown-gray. The uppertail itself has a velvety black border. The belly is light ocher, the mirror is deep green. The chest and goiter are speckled black, the legs are olive-gray, and the beak is black. The wings have white lining.

There are a huge number of wild water birds in nature. Many of them are famous for their beautiful appearance, others for their unique properties, and still others for their unusual voice and plumage. Among them famous breed teal ducks, which can make peculiar sounds reminiscent of "teal, teal". Few people know that the teal bird is the smallest in comparison with other wild waterfowl. Perhaps that is why she was named so affectionately, tenderly and beautifully.

Until now, the behavior of whistle teal remains poorly understood, which is not surprising. It can be problematic to meet a bird in real conditions, because she is a tiny, very careful and inconspicuous creature.

Despite its tiny sizeteal is considered a sweetheart hunting trophy... This is not strange, because the meat of the nimble crumbs stands out for its incredible culinary properties, thanks to which it is referred to as "noble". But the prosperity of poaching leads to the rapid extermination of the species, so in some regions the number of duck reaches a critical level.

For example, in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the UK, the bird is caught on an industrial scale when it makes seasonal migrations.

One of key features The teal duck is a kind of take-off, which it performs in a vertical manner. At the same time landing occurs on bodies of water abundantly overgrown with vegetation. Agree, not all birds can boast of such unique abilities. What is the secret of this flying skill? Everything is very simple, the teal duck has unique anatomical features of the wings, which have pointed ends and a narrow shape.

Several species of birds are found in the wild., but the most popular are two types:

1. teal whistle;
2. teal cracker

The first breed is considered the most widespread, because she meets in different regions and climatic zones... An adult rarely gains more than 200-450 grams of weight, due to which it can perform complex maneuvers in the air.

Incredibly beautiful color plumage gives the bird a special appeal. The head and neck of the drakes is covered with a reddish-brown mating outfit, and the chin and lower part of the neck are black plumage. On both sides of the head there are bluish-green stripes with a reddish tint. In turn, they are distinguished by a narrow white border.

The upper part of the body is light gray with black stripes. The uppertail is distinguished by a brownish-gray color with a unique velvety border. The paws are gray with an olive tint, and the beak is black.

The presence of a duck is distinguished from a drake brownish brown in plumage color.

In summer and spring, the color becomes monotonous and takes on brownish-gray shades. Because of this, it is easy to confuse it with a duck, and the only obvious difference is the mirror, which does not change color, and the black beak. The color of females does not change.

The population of the teal cracker is not as large as the whistle. Outwardly, they differ markedly from each other, tk. the former have a long white stripe above the eye. The cracker's beak is much longer and dark gray colored.

Crackers are heavier than their relatives, while the sounds that females make are characteristic of both species. Drake is famous for its characteristic cry, reminiscent of the sounds of "krer-krrer".

Where does the teal whistle live?

This water bird can be found in almost all regions Russian Federation and the countries of the former Soviet Union, excluding the cold regions of Siberia). Ducks prefer the forest-steppe zone and forest-tundra. For dwelling they are looking for hard-to-reach lakes, which are densely overgrown with reeds and other vegetation.

A real treasure for the whistle teal is a small reservoir where there is no current. Most often it is a small lake with stagnant water, or sedge swamp. The thing isthat such an area is replete with a wide variety of foods, including molluscs, small insects and emerging plants. Ducks' nests are located near water, but sometimes the distance from the reservoir reaches 500 meters. This is due to the fact that in spring the water level is much higher than in summer, so if the lake dries up, the nest turns out to be on land.

Breeding features

The teal whistle is considered sexually mature in the first year of life. The nesting period begins in spring, and drakes take care not only of ducks of their own species, but also of representatives of other breeds, including mallards.

During nesting, the male arranges mating games with a duck, circling near her with his head pressed to the body and beak lowered into the water ... To conquer the female drakes can emit peculiar whistling cries, during which they sharply throw their heads up to raise a fountain of bright splashes. Some drakes try to show the female their luxurious plumage and a mirror with a metallic sheen. To do this, they spread their wing and create a rattling sound by running their beak along the lower part of the flight feather with their beak. Females are silent creatures, but sometimes they give out very loud cries.

Whistler teals are good at hiding their nests, and they do this not only among sedge thickets. If the reservoir is in a forest, then most likely the bird will use dense thickets as a refuge. Also, the nest can be in the thickets of pine or spruce, under brushwood. The construction of the dwelling is carried out taking into account many subtleties, so the bird takes the procedure very seriously. At the first stage, she pulls out a small hole, which she reliably covers with twigs and plants as insulation. In addition, feathers are placed in the nest.

As for the eggs, then they have a tiny size and a matte greenish color. In cracker eggs, eggs are slightly elongated, and in whistles they are flattened.

Very often a duck lays about 12 eggs in one nest. Caring mothers can bring 15, so many people have a question: "how does such a tiny bird incubate so many eggs." It takes 21 to 24 days to hatch the offspring.

Chicks

Newborn chicks are born very active and lively. Immediately a few hours after hatching, they begin to jump into the water, start swimming, diving and running on the water. At the age of one month, the chicks make their first independent flights. Despite this behavior, female mothers remain very caring. If the child is threatened any danger in the form of a predator, then she is ready to sacrifice her life for his salvation. In a fit of passion, she flaps her wings on the water and tries to drive the predator away from the babies.

The duration of the teal ducks reaches 21 years, due to which they are considered real long-livers. IN winter time males and females live separately. Drakes favor the northern regions, while ducks move south. The presence of narrow wings allows making masterful take-offs and climbing to a decent height in a few seconds. It is for this reason that many hunters classify the duck as one of the most coveted trophies.

It is very difficult to catch preysince her behavior is always playful and active.

It is important to note that in addition to the high quality meat, duck eggs are incredibly tasty. Many are convinced that teal eggs are much better than those of other wild birds.

Surprising Whistle Teal Facts

The teal duck or whistle is the smallest waterfowl that is widely known in our country. You can meet her almost anywhere in Russia. What are its features and what are the distinctive features, let's find out together.

Description of the breed

The teal duck weighs no more than 500 grams, but this is not the only difference from other wild waterfowl ducks. Unlike all known ones in our country, it has narrow wings with pointed ends, thanks to which it can take off almost vertically. This skill also allows the bird to land even on the most inaccessible, densely overgrown water bodies. The teal-whistle is unpretentious to living conditions, therefore it settles practically throughout the country, except for the extreme cold zones of the North. However, as practice shows, most of all he loves small forest lakes or swamps with quiet stagnant water. In such waters, there is always a lot of food for the little bird.

External characteristic

A teal is a small river duck that has narrow wings, a small body and a short neck.... Thanks to them, the bird not only lands well in overgrown reservoirs, but also flies almost silently. True, the plumage of birds is not very bright. Males during the mating season in the spring are gray in color with a dark chestnut head and a green stripe, a yellow back and a gray stripe along the wing. The male breast is pinkish with dark small spots. The belly of the bird is white, the sides and shoulder blades are ashy. Very beautiful coloring of the wings, as you can see in the photo.

In summer and during molting, males acquire a more gray body coloration without obvious variegated blotches. This makes him look like a female. The only one distinctive feature - this is a bright all the same motley mirror on the wings and a black beak. The female has the same plumage color throughout the year. Dark brown color with light rims prevails. By the way, the female teal is very similar to the female mallard, only smaller in size, which can be clearly seen in the photo.

Reproduction

Teal, unlike most waterfowl wild ducks, reaches their sexual maturity already in the first year of life, although they do not always start breeding immediately. During courtship and mating games enter early, usually with the first freeze-up: in May in the north, in early March in the south of the country. Some birds form pairs at wintering sites or in flight, while others - after arriving at nesting sites. Teal ducks also have another feature - females often hibernate separately from males. Most ducks go to winter in the southern latitudes, while drakes often remain in the northern ones.

Mating games of teals are very similar to mallards. Even in autumn, after molting, males begin to mourn near females and choose a pair. During the dances, the drakes lower their heads into the water, and then sharply raise them, emitting a loud characteristic whistle. It is because of this that the birds were nicknamed whistlers - the teal-whistle. Having chosen a pair for themselves, the birds remain faithful right up to that period, until the female starts the period of incubating eggs.

Teals usually settle in small groups, making nests on the ground near or near water. For the nest, the female pulls out a hole and lays its bottom with dry grass, leaves or branches conifers... Also, along the entire perimeter, the duck covers the nest with its feathers.

The female teal lays an average of 8-10 eggs and incubates them for about 23 days. From the first days of life, ducklings are perfectly adapted to life, they can run quickly, even jump, dive and get food on their own. By the 30th day of life, they already get up on the wing.

Distribution and habitat

The teal duck settles throughout Russia, in the northern part of Eurasia, while far north reaches the zone of the arctic coast. Western populations are found in Iceland, while southern ones are found on the Aleutian Islands, Commander Islands, Sakhalin and Hokkaido. They are also widespread in northern Mongolia and Primorye. Ducks hibernate in the southern and western zones of Europe, in the western part of Asia Minor and in the Mediterranean.

Most often, the teal chooses the forest-tundra and forest-steppe for habitation, but you can hardly find it in the continuous steppe. During the breeding season, it settles near reservoirs with stagnant water. It is here in shallow waters that they find their food. In winter and autumn, the bird, as a rule, feeds on plant food, but in spring and summer - on animal food. Molluscs, insects and worms are chosen as the latter. Today, this bird is hunted for production.

Video "Birds of the Continents - Teal Whistle"

In this video presentation, you can take a closer look at how birds of this species look.