Baikal teal

Baikal teal
Sibirionetta formosa, Georgi, 1775

This duck only appears sporadically in Europe and North America. The Baikal teal tends to stay near water bodies; it nests in shallow holes in the ground, often at a certain distance from water. During the mating season, the sexual dimorphism in this species is quite dramatic. The drake’s head is black and crème and green, while its body features shades of brown, green and grey. The plumage of females, like in other ducks, displays a range of brown colouring, making for good camouflage. At the base of the beak, there is a characteristic white spot.
Distribution: Siberia, the Baikal coast; during winter in Japan, South Korea and China

male / female
body length: 39–43 cm
wingspan: 65–75 cm
body mass: 0,36–0,52 kg