Andean Teal (Anas andium): Habitat and Facts

Image of a Andean Teal in its natural habitat

Introduction

The Andean Teal (Anas andium) is a small dabbling duck of the northern Andes. It occurs mainly in high-elevation freshwater wetlands in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, with records extending into northern Peru. The species is closely associated with páramo lakes, marshes, bogs and other open wetland habitats.

Physical Description

The Andean Teal measures approximately 38–45 cm in length. It has generally greyish-brown plumage, with darker brown upperparts and a grey head and neck. The breast and flanks are marked with blackish feather centres, giving the body a finely mottled appearance. The underparts are usually paler than the back, while the undertail area is relatively drab.

The bill, legs and feet are dark bluish-grey to grey, rather than yellow. In flight, the green speculum may show purplish, reddish or bronze reflections, with a paler trailing edge. Males and females are alike in general appearance, and there is no strong visible sexual dimorphism. Juveniles are less distinctly marked and may appear duller than adults.

Range and Habitat

The Andean Teal is primarily distributed through the highlands of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Northern Peru is at the southern edge of its known range, where it is uncommon and locally recorded. Two geographical forms are commonly recognised: the nominate form in the Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes, and Anas andium altipetens, the Mérida form of the Venezuelan Andes and adjacent Colombia.

It occupies freshwater wetlands, including mountain lakes, ponds, marshes, bogs, reservoirs and wet páramo. It generally occurs between about 2,000 and 4,300 metres above sea level, although it is most often found above 3,000 metres in much of its range. The species is regarded as resident, although local movements between wetlands may occur and some individuals may descend to lower elevations.

Behaviour and Diet

Andean Teals are usually seen in pairs or small groups, although larger gatherings may form where suitable wetlands provide abundant food. They are active during the day and commonly rest on open water or along muddy and grassy margins.

The species feeds by dabbling, dipping the head, upending in shallow water and probing at the water’s edge. Its diet includes aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, seeds, algae, small aquatic insects, crustaceans and other small invertebrates. It may also filter food from wet mud while walking along the shoreline.

Breeding takes place in marshy areas, páramo wetlands and vegetation near mountain lakes. Nest placement varies, but nests are concealed on the ground or in dense cover close to water. Reported clutches contain about five to eight eggs, and incubation lasts approximately 24 days in Colombian records. The ducklings are precocial and leave the nest soon after hatching under the care of the female.

Identification Tips

Look for a compact, medium-small duck with a dark, finely mottled body and a greyish head and neck.
The dark bluish-grey bill is an important field mark. It helps separate the species from the Yellow-billed Teal, Anas flavirostris, which has a noticeably yellow bill.
The Andean Teal usually appears darker and more uniformly brown than the Yellow-billed Teal, with heavier blackish markings on the breast and body.
The green speculum is most visible when the bird flies or stretches its wings.
Sexes look similar, so plumage alone is generally not a reliable way to determine sex.
In suitable habitat, altitude is a useful supporting clue: the species is strongly associated with high Andean wetlands and páramo.

Conservation Status

The Andean Teal is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This global category does not mean that every population is secure. The species depends on freshwater wetlands that may be affected locally by drainage, agricultural expansion, grazing pressure, pollution, infrastructure development and changes to water availability. Reliable current population figures and a definitive global trend are not available in the sources consulted.

Important conservation measures include protecting high-elevation wetlands, maintaining natural water regimes, reducing pollution and disturbance, and monitoring populations across the Andean range. Wetland restoration and community-based management can also benefit the Andean Teal and other species that depend on páramo ecosystems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Andean Teal live?

It lives mainly in high-elevation freshwater wetlands of the Andes, especially in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. It has also been recorded in northern Peru.

How high in the mountains does the Andean Teal occur?

It is generally found between about 2,000 and 4,300 metres above sea level, with many records coming from elevations above 3,000 metres.

What does the Andean Teal eat?

Its diet consists of aquatic plants, terrestrial vegetation, seeds, algae, small aquatic insects, crustaceans and other small invertebrates.

How can the Andean Teal be identified?

Look for a dark, mottled brown duck with a greyish head and neck, a dark bluish-grey bill and a green wing speculum. The absence of a yellow bill helps distinguish it from the Yellow-billed Teal.

Is the Andean Teal migratory?

It is generally considered a resident species, but individuals may make local movements between wetlands or move to lower elevations when conditions require.

Is the Andean Teal endangered?

No. The species is currently classified as Least Concern globally, although local wetland loss, pollution and habitat change may affect some populations.

References

BirdLife International. 2016. Anas andium. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22735557A95114680. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22735557A95114680.en. Accessed 8 September 2026.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. J., Christie, D. A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L. D. C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona and Cambridge.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. J. and Kirwan, G. M. 2020. Andean Teal (Anas andium), version 1.0. In Birds of the World, edited by J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie and E. de Juana. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spetea3.01.
Gill, F., Donsker, D. and Rasmussen, P., eds. 2026. IOC World Bird List, version 15.2. International Ornithologists’ Union. https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/ Accessed 8 September 2026.
Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2014. Aves de Sibundoy: guía de identificación. Species account for Anas andium. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/latam/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Aves-de-sibundoy-2014-1.pdf.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. n.d. Anas andium (P. L. Sclater and Salvin, 1873), Taxonomic Serial No. 714088. U.S. Geological Survey and partner institutions. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=714088. Accessed 8 September 2026.
Restall, R., Rodner, C. and Lentino, M. 2006. Birds of Northern South America: An Identification Guide. Volume 1: Species Accounts. Yale University Press, New Haven and London.
Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente de Bogotá. 2021. Pato paramuno, Anas andium. Observatorio Ambiental de Bogotá. https://oab.ambientebogota.gov.co/fauna/pato-paramuno/. Accessed 8 September 2026.