Fun Andaman Teal Facts For Kids

Aashita Dhingra
Oct 20, 2022 By Aashita Dhingra
Originally Published on Aug 11, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao
To learn more about this duck, read these Andaman teal facts.

Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) belongs to the family Anatidae and genus Anas. It is known to be endemic to the range of the Andaman Islands in India and the Great Coco Island in Myanmar.

The habitat of this species consists of water bodies. It inhabits ponds, freshwater streams, and paddy fields. Others include lagoons, mangroves, estuaries, and tidal creeks.

Roosting takes place on mudflats and exposed rocks. The breeding season for this species is between July and October.

During the breeding season, the nests are built or nesting takes place in reed patches. The clutch size is known to be up to nine eggs. The description of this species is known to be brownish or cinnamon in color with some buffy markings.

There are some white markings on the face and throat. On the face, there are white markings around the eye.

The head is known to be dark brown-blackish in color. The bill is known to be gray-bluish in color.

The color of the juvenile is not properly known or studied. The diet of this teal consists of paddy, mollusks, and arthropods and can be spotted often in paddy and rice fields. There are no recorded subspecies of this bird and it was once considered a subspecies of the Sunda teal.

This bird was formerly named Mareca albogularis and later, it was put with the genus Anas and the family Anatidae. The status of this bird is known to be Vulnerable.

It is quite gripping to learn about this species of duck, Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) and if you are interested, read about the ring-necked duck and harlequin duck, too.

Andaman Teal Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Andaman teal?

Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) is known to be a species of duck.

What class of animal does an Andaman teal belong to?

It is categorized under the class of Aves of birds.

How many Andaman teals are there in the world?

The estimation or record of 2014 states that the population of this bird is slightly more than 1000 birds of this species.

Where does an Andaman teal live?

The population of these birds is known to be endemic to the Andaman Islands in India and the Great Coco Island in Myanmar.

What is an Andaman teal's habitat?

The habitat of the Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) consists of water bodies. These water bodies include ponds, paddy fields, freshwater streams. These birds also inhabit brackish swamps, lagoons, mangroves, estuaries, tidal creeks. These birds can be spotted roosting on mudflats and exposed rocks during the day.

Who do Andaman teals live with?

It has been mostly observed that these birds are found in groups of 100 or more individuals.

How long does an Andaman teal live?

The life expectancy of these birds is not available.

How do they reproduce?

While not a lot of information is available about the reproduction of these birds, it has been recorded that the breeding season for this species is between July and October. The nesting is known to take place in reed patches and some nests were observed in tree holes too. The clutch size is known to be around nine eggs.

What is their conservation status?

These birds are placed under the Vulnerable category of conservation status.

Andaman Teal Fun Facts

What do Andaman teals look like?

This is a small-sized dabbling or splashing bird or duck that is brownish-cinnamon in color with some markings that are buffy on the face and throat and is also known to have white-colored markings around the eye and also on the throat. The head is dark brown-blackish in color.

Below the speculum, there is also a white line that is formed all of the white tips. The bill is known to be gray-bluish in color and the iris is red in color.

How cute are they?

These birds are not considered cute by people.

How do they communicate?

Not a lot is known about the communication of these birds, but it is believed that these birds communicate by using different types of sounds or calls to communicate with each other.

How big is an Andaman teal?

The size or length of these species is around  14.5-18.5 in (37-47 cm). They are known to have a similar or sometimes slightly larger size than a cinnamon teal and a blue-winged teal.

How fast can an Andaman teal fly?

The exact speed of these species of duck is not known.

How much does an Andaman teal weigh?

The weight of this species of duck ranges from 12-14 oz (340-400 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

In general, male teals or ducks are known as drakes, while females are referred to as hens.

What would you call a baby Andaman teal?

The young ones or babies of this species may be referred to as ducklings or chicks.

What do they eat?

This species can be spotted feeding in paddy or rice fields in the Andaman Islands. They are also known to feed on mollusks and other insects or arthropods.

Are they dangerous?

This species of duck is not considered dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

While not much is known about these birds, Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) as pets it is believed that this species of teal will not make ideal or great pets as they are known to be wild, Vulnerable, and endemic to only the Andaman Islands in India and Great Coco Island in Myanmar.

Did you know...

The formal description was done by an English ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume first in 1873 of this species and initially, it was given the name Mareca albogularis.

This species of duck was formerly known to be a subspecies of the Sunda teal (Anas gibberifrons), which is found in Indonesia.

These species are known to be sedentary and diurnal.

Disturbances through human practices like agriculture and fishing, the habitat of these species are disturbed and the habitat of this species is not protected.

These birds are known to feed at night in small groups or flocks of about 30-40 birds or individuals.

What's the link between the Andaman and Sunda teal?

The Andaman teal was formerly considered a subspecies of the Sunda teal (Anas gibberifrons).

How does the Andaman teal compare with other teals?

Unlike other teals, the population of the Andaman teal (Anas albogularis) is restricted to a limited geographic range. Most of the species of teals are known to have similar sizes and plumage consisting of a brownish color.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these green-winged teal facts and Muscovy duck facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Andaman teal coloring pages.

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Written by Aashita Dhingra

Bachelors in Business Administration

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Aashita DhingraBachelors in Business Administration

Based in Lucknow, India, Aashita is a skilled content creator with experience crafting study guides for high school-aged kids. Her education includes a degree in Business Administration from St. Mary's Convent Inter College, which she leverages to bring a unique perspective to her work. Aashita's passion for writing and education is evident in her ability to craft engaging content.

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Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

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Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.

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