Brown teal (Anas chlorotis), Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand
The poor old brown teal never stood a chance: hunted for food and eggs and young predated by rats, as soon as humans arrived, then with the European settlement came the introduction of more rats, plus stoats, ferrets and cats... The South Island mainland population hung on until 2013, since then the brown teal has been confined to the north of the North Island. Fewer than 1000 individuals survive, many in predator-free sanctuaries as part of a re-introduction programme, as here.
Ducks and drakes are indistinguishable in the field. the closely related Auckland Islands teal (A. aucklandica) was once considered conspecific.
From a slide.
211108 002
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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Brown teal (Anas chlorotis), Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand
The poor old brown teal never stood a chance: hunted for food and eggs and young predated by rats, as soon as humans arrived, then with the European settlement came the introduction of more rats, plus stoats, ferrets and cats... The South Island mainland population hung on until 2013, since then the brown teal has been confined to the north of the North Island. Fewer than 1000 individuals survive, many in predator-free sanctuaries as part of a re-introduction programme, as here.
Ducks and drakes are indistinguishable in the field. the closely related Auckland Islands teal (A. aucklandica) was once considered conspecific.
From a slide.
211108 002
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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