Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Germany Birds of Spain Birds of France Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Ireland Birds of Kenya Birds of Portugal Birds of Tanzania Birds of the United States Birds of South Africa

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Germany Ducks, Geese & Swans of Spain Ducks, Geese & Swans of France Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United Kingdom Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ireland Ducks, Geese & Swans of Kenya Ducks, Geese & Swans of Portugal Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tanzania Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United States Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Africa

See what's near you right now

The Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 276 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Spatula
Species hottentota

Where it lives

Nigeria to Ethiopia and south to South Africa, Madagascar

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 276 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Blue-billed Teal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Blue-billed Teal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Nigeria to Ethiopia and s to South Africa, Madagascar.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 276 g, with a wing length of about 14.7 cm and a tail of around 6.2 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.8 million km².

Songs & calls

Blue-billed Teal — Call

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Blue-billed Teal?

The Blue-billed Teal is a large bird that weighs around 276 g.

Where does the Blue-billed Teal live?

The Blue-billed Teal is found across Africa with a range covering AF Nigeria to Ethiopia and s to South Africa, Madagascar, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Blue-billed Teal belong to?

The Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Blue-billed Teal eat?

The Blue-billed Teal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Blue-billed Teal migrate?

The Blue-billed Teal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Blue-billed Teal endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Blue-billed Teal make?

1 real field recording of the Blue-billed Teal — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Blue-billed Teal's range?

The Blue-billed Teal has a mapped global range of about 7.8 million km².