Teals are any of about 18 small ducks of the genus Anas (family Anatidae), found on the six major continents and many islands. Within the divisions of true duck species, the teal belong in the dabbling duck group (dipping, surface-feeding, pond, river, or freshwater). Many of the teal are popular as game birds. Teal are primarily herbivorous, although animal foods may comprise 25 percent of the diet of some species such as the blue-wing. In many species flocks take off as a group and change direction in unison.
The following arrangement of Anas is based on current morphological, molecular, and behavioral characters and presents apparent major evolutionary groupings compared to the subgenera the species were placed in at one time or another. I have presented only the teals in this large genus.
Probable subgenus Sibirionetta
Baikal Teal, Anas Formosa
Probable subgenus Punanetta
Silver Teal, Anas versicolor
Puna Teal, Anas puna – formerly included in Anas versicolor
Hottentot Teal, Anas hottentota
Red-billed Teal Teal, Anas erythrohyncha
Probable subgenus Spatula
Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors
Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera
Subgenus Nettion – teals (paraphyletic)
Indian Ocean clade
Bernier's Teal, Anas bernieri
Sunda Teal, Anas gibberifrons
Andaman Teal, Anas albogularis
Grey Teal, Anas gracilis
Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea
Hottentot Teal, Anas hottentota
Atlantic/Red-and-green head clade
Eurasian Teal, Anas crecca
Green-winged Teal, Anas carolinensis – formerly included in Anas crecca
Yellow-billed Teal, Anas flavirostris
Andean Teal, Anas andinum
New Zealand clade
Auckland Teal, Anas aucklandica
Brown Teal, Anas chlorotis
Campbell Teal, Anas nesiotis
Formerly placed in Anas:
Salvadori's Teal, Salvadorina waigiuensis
