Comparison of Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris and Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica in flight

Comparison of Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris and Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica in flight

Chiloe, Chile
December 2005

Photos 1 and 2 are of Yellow-billed Pintail A. georgica while photos 3 and 4 are of Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris.

I had originally mis-identified one of these photos but, thanks to Rasmus Boegh, I have now corrected the identification. I thought it might be interesting to point out the features and, with permission, I quote Rasmus with reference to photos 1 and 2:

They can still be identified [as Yellow-billed Pintails] by the relatively long tails with relatively pointed tips to the individual retrices. The lines on the wings appear to be the same colour [white] not a buff and white line as in Speckled Teal.

The width of the dark speculum is relatively small compared to the pale lines that border it. They are relatively long-necked and the heads are rather stream-lined. The rump is not distinctively paler than the wings and the heads do not appear dark. On the individuals where the wings allow a view of the lower flanks, they can clearly be seen to be strongly spotted.

Speckled Teal, Chiloe, Chile, December 2005

Here, these Speckled Teal show the broader dark speculum bordered with buff in front and white on the trailing edge. The tail is shorter, the rump is distinctly paler, the neck stubbier and the head darker.

Speckled Teal

Back to Index

Yellow-billed Pintail

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page.