Red-billed pintail

Anas erythrorhyncha

Roodsnavelpijlstaart / Rotsnabelente / Pilet à bec rouge

The red-billed teal, also known as red-billed teal, is a dabbling duck which is an abundant resident breeder in southern and eastern Africatypically south of 10° S. This duck is not migratory, but will fly great distances to find suitable waters. It is highly gregarious outside thebreeding season and forms large flocks.

The red-billed teal is 43–48 centimetres (17–19 in) long and has a blackish cap and nape, contrasting pale face, and bright red bill. The body plumage is a dull dark brown scalloped with white. Flight reveals that the secondary flight feathers are buff with a black stripe across them. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults.

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern (IUCN, 2012).

There are potential threats from the leeches Theromyzon cooperi and Placobdella garoui which can lead to mortality in infested birds (Oosthuizen and Fourie 1985, Fourie,et al. 1986). The species is also threatened by habitat alteration in Madagascar (Scott and Rose 1996). Although this species is extensively hunted and regarded as a favourite sporting target (Johnsgard 1978, del Hoyo, et al. 1992), there is no evidence that such activities pose a current threat to the species.

Above: red-billed pintail

Above: red-billed pintail

Above: red-billed pintail