The brown teal is a warm brown with a dark brown mottled breast, brown eyes with a narrow white eye-ring.  Bill is blue-black.  The breeding male has a glossy green head with a narrow white collar and a white flank patch.

The brown teal is one of the world's rarer ducks.  It was once common but declined in numbers due to predation (cats, dogs, and mustelids) as well as a loss of habitat.  It was also hunted until protection in 1921.

The brown teal calls differ between the sexes.  The males give soft, high pitched wheezy whistles and popping calls, the females give low quacks and growls. 

Brown teal are strongly territorial during the breeding season.  The nest is a bowl of grass under tussock or fern.  The male guards the territory while the female incubates and subsequently raises the brood.

Brown teal eat mainly aquatic or marine invertebrates but on Tiritiri Matangi they have been observed eating vegetation.

Brown teal were first released on Tiri in 1987 and again in 1989.  Since then they have struggled.  They did breed regularly but chicks have a high mortality rate due to predation, probably from eels, pukeko, black backed gulls and harrier hawks.  Some birds may leave the island of their own accord, especially males may migrate to nearby estuaries for the winter intending to return for the next breeding season.  It is possible that they are predated during this time.  Some have died of suspected botulism.

Seven birds (5 males, 2 females) were translocated to Tiritiri Matangi on Saturday 22 June 2002.  Single males were released in areas currently habited by lone females and 2 sets of pairs were released.  The dams to receive the new brown teal were Wharf Dam, Pumphouse Dam, Fisherman's Bay Dam, and Pohutakawa Dam.  These birds have all been fitted with transmitters and will be closely monitored by a research student.  There was a further release of 4 birds on 25 July 2002.  Unfortunately, as at 18 August, at least 4 of these birds have been predated, presumably by harrier hawk.  Monitoring continues.

Photography by: Barbara Hughes © (top left), Val Smytheman © (bottom right)

References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking.