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

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Cape Teal

Anas capensis

Cape Teal (Anas capensis) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 19 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 Kenya Birds of the Netherlands Birds of Tanzania Birds of South Africa Birds of England Birds of Cambridgeshire

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 Kenya Ducks, Geese & Swans of the Netherlands Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tanzania Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Africa Ducks, Geese & Swans of England

See what's near you right now

The Cape Teal (Anas capensis) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 402 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 Anas
Species capensis

Where it lives

Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 402 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Critically Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Cape Teal hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Cape Teal is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Cape Teal (Anas capensis) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 402 g, with a wing length of about 19.3 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.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.3 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Cape Teal?

The Cape Teal is a large bird that weighs around 402 g.

Where does the Cape Teal live?

The Cape Teal is found across Africa with a range covering AF Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Cape Teal belong to?

The Cape Teal (Anas capensis) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Cape Teal eat?

The Cape Teal hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Cape Teal migrate?

The Cape Teal is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Cape 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.

How large is the Cape Teal's range?

The Cape Teal has a mapped global range of about 4.3 million km².