Ringed teal

Scientific name: Callonetta leucophrys

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Small dabbling duck with male showing distinctive white eye-ring (loral patch) and rufous head with dark crown; female duller overall with pale facial markings. Both sexes display a striking white shoulder patch in flight.

Size and weight

Males 41–43 cm, females 38–40 cm; weight 0.3–0.4 kg for both sexes.

Habitat

Ringed teals favour small, shallow freshwater ponds, marshes, and oxbow lakes in open woodland and grassland. They prefer dense emergent vegetation and low scrub for cover.

Distribution

Found throughout South America east of the Andes, from central Brazil and Bolivia south to central Argentina and Paraguay. Inhabits lowland and foothill wetlands.

Diet

Primarily aquatic invertebrates (chironomid larvae, small crustaceans) and plant seeds; dabbles and up-ends in shallow water.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular; highly vocal year-round with diagnostic nasal calls. Pairs or small flocks; males remain with females through breeding. Shy and quick to flush.

Hunting tips

Look for birds at dawn and dusk on small, secluded ponds; they favour sites with overhanging vegetation and limited open water. Approach quietly from downwind along vegetated banks; use shallow-water depressions and reed beds for concealment. They flush rapidly but circle back; position yourself where returning birds funnel through cover.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.