ARTICLES ON HAWAIIAN
AND PACIFIC BIRDS, BIRDWATCHING AND
WILDLIFE
Baikal Teal (Anas formosa): Status, Distribution and Identification.
A stunning, presumably first calender-year, drake Baikal Teal was discovered at Hanalei NWR, Kaua'i on 9th December 2002 by Brenda Zaun, refuge biologist and was then seen on and off until 25th January 2003 by many observers. If accepted as a genuine vagrant this would constitute the first Hawaiian Islands' record.
Species Status and Distribution
In the wild the species
breeds across northeast Russia as far west as the River Yenisey (c.85 degrees E), and migrates to southeast China
and Korea for the winter. For many years the species was reported to be in a sharp decline due to hunting throughout
much of the twentieth century, however recent evidence appears to show this is not true, either as a result of
increased success or previously undocumanted populations being found. The species tends to winter in huge flocks
at just a few locations, especially South Korea. In January 1999 200,000 were estimated to be wintering and in
November 2001 an unconfirmed 350,000 were estimated. According to Ogilvie and Young (1998) the world population
was only 75,000 and declining. It seems that somewhere along the way there has been a dramatic change. The most
important wintering site for the species is Chunam Lakes in the Republic of Korea, where they are mainly nocturnal.
By day they roost on the reservoirs and then at dusk they fly out to feed on surrounding agricultural land in monospecific
flocks. At this site they apparently feed exclusively on discarded rice from the previous autumn's harvest. This
behaviour has also been noted elsewhere in the species' wintering range and rice appears to be the major part of
their food. (Map from Birding World 5:11)
In the past the species was described as "unbelievably abundant" in Japan, but counts in 1980 totalled only noted 10,00 or so and in 1990 this had declined to just 2,060. In China the species was said to number 20,000 or less in 1990. It appears that in some areas at least the population is still quite small and continues to decline. Hopefully the increased Korean population will help to increase opualtions elsewhere in Asia.
In recent years there
have been a number of records of the species outside its normal range with about 70 records from Europe (14-15
in Belgium, 15+ in Britain, 1 in Finland, 17-22+ in France, 1 in Germany, 1 in Ireland, 9 in Italy, 3 in Malta,
1 in Norway, 2 in Poland, 1 in Spain, 9 in Sweden and 1 in Switzerland) and several from the United States west
coast and Alaska. this is the first however to have ever been seen in the Hawaiian Islands. Undoubtedly some of
these records relate to escapes on both continents but those recorded in Alaska and in Europe prior to 1850 are
likely to be genuine vagrants. It should also be noted that the species was not bred successfully in captivity
until as recently as 1981, according to Small (2001). Right: Male Baikal Teal, in captivity,
Sussex, UK, February 2003. Photo © by Christian Melgar.
Eldridge and Harrop (1992) comment that "Vagrancy in the period when there was a large population in Asia seems plausible, and a record of five birds shot near Epervans, Saone-et-Loire, France, during a period of a few days in November 1836 was before the first known introductions to Europe, so it seems reasonble to regard these as wild. With the exception of the 1836 record and possibly another French record 'during the nineteenth century' all have occurred after the importation of the species into Europe. After 1908, they were imported into Europe from China 'in thousands' (Delacour 1954), and during the next thirty years were the easiest and cheapest teal to acquire. Inexperienced amateurs who kept these birds sometimes did not pinion them, thus enabling them to fly off after moulting. Although less common in collections since 1945, imports have continued and in 1988 there were known to be at least 26 breeding pairs in captivity in Britain (Hughes 1990). Although not relating directly to Baikal Teal, the capacity of introduced (and presumably also escaped) wildfowl to wander has been shown, perhaps surprisingly, by Mandarin: a bird from St. James's park, London, was recovered in Hungary in 1931, two left Oslo, Norway, on 8th November 1962 and were shot together next day 900km away in Northumberland, England (BWP), and a male ringed in Berkshire in March 1986 travelled as far as Pskov, Russia (BTO News 176:6)." In 1996 the number of collections housing the species in the UK had increased to at least 38 (British Waterfowl Association 1996).
Baikal Teal
is an extremely attractive species and is commonly kept in collections throughout the World and is a relatively
inexpensive species to purchase, with birds being offered for sale for as little as $300 a pair in the United States
(several sites stating they had birds for sale for as little as $8 could not be contacted for clarification or
confirmation) and £250 in the UK. In recent years there seems to have been an increase in the number of waterfowl
collections appearing in the State of Hawai'i, including several private ones on Kaua'i, and it is not currently
known whether these contain Baikal Teal. Several species have escaped from these collections in the last few years,
including Mute Swan, Chinese Goose and an assortment of hybrid ducks. Other collections on Kaua'i include Smith's
Tropical Paradise near Wailua, which does not keep this species, and the now mostly-defunct collection at the Kaua'i
Marriott/Kaua'i Lagoons Colf Course near Lihue, and at which a few exotics remain (including Wood Ducks and White-faced
Tree (Whistling) Ducks, but not Baikal Teal). Photo above right: Baikal Teal at Hanalei NWR,
Kaua'i, January 2002 © by Alvaro Jaramillo.
Identification
Although the species is distinctive, birds seen in female and immature plumages and those seen outside of their normal range should be closely checked to ensure the correct identification has been made, as well as to eliminate hybrids. The species is a little larger than Eurasian or Green-winged Teal and thus have proportionately longer wings and tail. The wing pattern is quite distinctive in all plumages and the bill is entirely dark, although younger birds show a greyer bill, whereas adults exhibit a darker and more uniform blackish bill.
Drake
Birds in this plumage are very distinctive and are unlikley to be misidentified, however the wing pattern should be checked carefully to eliminate hybrids, as the species is known to have hybridized with several species (see below). Adults in eclipse plumage resemble the females but sometimes show a more-peaked hind crown, a less distinct facial pattern, longer and more pointed scapulars witha creamy-coloured edge and flanks with finer markings. Male eclipse plumage usually lasts from July until October to December.
Right: Adult drake Baikal Teal, in captivity, Sussex, UK, February 2003. Photo © by Christian Melgar.
Female
Although not as distinctive as the male, females exhibit a number of characters which make them quite distinctive in their own right. As well as being larger than Eurasian and Green-winged Teal (and longer-winged and tailed) they usually show a fuller nape and thicker necks. Overall the colouration of female Baikal is warmer and brighter than the greyer tones normally exhibited by Eurasian and Green-winged Teal. Both females and juveniles show dark markings on the ear-coverts, usually this consists of two poorly-defined darker patches below and behind the eye. Eldridge and Harrop (1992) state that " a minority of birds show a complete, narrow, dark 'bridle' extending from the ear-coverts to the throat, but this is incomplete in most individuals and, in any case, often difficult to see. By far the most important aspect of the head-pattern, and at longer ranges the main plumage features of females, is the white or off-white loral spot, which is very conspicuous and consistently more striking than pale loral marks shown by other teal." Other features of the head-pattern which should be checked are the warm-buff supercilium, which is broken just above the eye. Some individuals show a pale wedge which extends from the throat up to just below the eye. At a distance however, it should be remembered that the face pattern may appear rather plain on females, except for the obvious pale loral spot. Above right: Female Baikal Teal (rear bird), in captivity, Sussex, UK, February 2003. Photo © by Christian Melgar.
The scapulars, may be quite long and pointed and show solid blackish centres with quite broad rusty or chestnut edges, as do the flank feathers. the tertials which are normally greyer in Eurasian and Green-winged Teal are dark brown in Baikal Teal and have narrow buffy fringes. The rump is mainly grey, which is usually brown in Eurasian and Green-winged Teal. Eldridge and Harrop (1992) state "the uppertail coverts have solid black centres with buff fringes, and sometimes seem to form a black band above the tail, and there is a conspicuous pale line along the sides of the tail. The belly is white, giving a Wigeon-like appearance to the underparts in flight."
The wing-pattern is different from Eurasian and Green-winged Teal, showing uniform greater-coverts which are mid-grey in colour with narrow orange-brown tips. The speculum is mainly black with just a wedge of green, which is restricted to the leading edge of the inner secondaries. A broad white line is present along the rear edge of the secondaries. Although the green in the speculum can sometimes be quite bright, especially in strong light, it almost never appears as extensive or as noticeable as the green in the speculum of Eurasian or Green-winged Teal.
Juvenile
Juveniles are very similar to females, with very similar head and wing patterns, however juveniles tend not to be as wram brown as females on the upperparts or flanks. They do however tend to show more extensive spotting on the breast and often appear brighter buff or chestnut above. The supercilium is often greyer and does not show the buffy colouration exhibited by adult females. the uppertail coverts tend to be brownish, not showing the darker centres and feathering of the adults. According to Eldridge and Harrop (1992) juvenile males normally take until January of their second calender-year to moult into an adult-like plumage.
Hybrids
Baikal Teal have hybridized in the wild with Wigeon, Teal and Pintail and in captivity with Cinnamon Teal and Red-crested Pochard (!). Other hybrids (eg. Mallard x Teal, Pintail x Teal), as well as Baikal hybrids, may resemble Baikal Teal superficially and so the full suite of characters should be checked for on any bird that is out of range.
Moult
Small (2001) comments: " Discussions with Peter Kennerley, who has extensive experience of Asian Ducks (including Baikal Teal in Hong Kong and elsewhere in northeast Asia) confirms that the majority of Anas in east Asia, including Shoveler and Wigeon, appear to moult out of eclipse plumage up to six weeks later than their European counterparts. His earliest record of a full-plumaged male Baikal Teal in Hong Kong is 8th December, although there are records of birds in female-type plumage in early November. Jackson (1991), however, states that Baikal Teal come out of eclipse by the end of October/early November." Based on this moult timing it would appear that the Hanalei bird is unlikely to attain full adult male plumage by the end of January (2003) (ie. full adult scapulars, full vertical breast stripe etc.) and so this individual must be considered a second calender-year bird (ie. it was first calender-year when it arrived in December 2002).
Drake Baikal Teal at Hanalei NWR, Kaua'i on 3rd January 2003.
Photograph © by Brenda Zaun/FWS.
References
CRAMP, S. et al. 1977-1995. The Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa - Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 2. Oxford, U.K.
DELACOUR, J. 1954. The Waterfowl of the World. London.
DEL HOYO, J.; ELLIOTT, A.; and SARGATAL, J. 1992. The Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
ELDRIDGE, M. and HARROP, A. 1992. Identification and Status of Baikal Teal. Birding World 5:11. Norfolk, U.K.
LEWINGTON, I; P. ALSTROM and P. COLSTON. 1991. A field Guide to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. Harper Collins., London.
MADGE, S.C. and BURN, H. 1988. Wildfowl. Bromley.
OGILVIE, M. and YOUNG, S. 1998. Wildfowl of the World. New Holland, London, UK.
SMALL, B. 2001. The Baikal Teal in Suffolk. Birding World 14:11. Norfolk, U.K.
Christian Melgar, Worthing, West Sussex, England. February 2003.
