Blue-billed Teal
Spatula hottentota
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
The blue-billed teal (Spatula hottentota), also sometimes called spotted teal and formerly Hottentot teal, is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Spatula. It is resident in eastern, southern, and western Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria, and south to South Africa and Namibia, and also in Madagascar. It is generally sedentary, but shows nomadic behaviour in response to water requirements, moving away if drought causes wetlands to dry out.
The blue-billed teal breeds year round, depending on rainfall, and stays in small groups or pairs.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Local in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Blue-billed teal
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.