CHESTNUT-BREASTED TEAL 
ANAS CASTANEA (Eyton) 
(Plate 34) 
Synonymy 
Anas punctata Cuvier, MS.; Lesson {nec Burchell), Traite d’Ornith., p. 634, 1831. 
Mareca castanea Eyton, Monograph Anatidse, p. 119, pi. 22, 1838. 
Mareca punctata G. R. Gray, List Birds British Mus., vol. 4, p. 134, 1844. 
Querquedula punctata Lichtenstein, Nomenclator Avium Mus. BeroL, p. 102, 1854. 
Anas castanea A. Newton, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1871, p. 649, note. 
Virago castanea Stejneger, Standard Nat. Hist., vol. 4, p. 145, 1885. 
Nettion castaneum Salvador!, Cat. Birds British Mus., vol. 27, p. 252, 1895. 
Vernaculae Names 
English: Chestnut-breasted Teal, Green-headed Teal, Australian Teal. 
German: Kastanien-Ente, Australische Krickente. 
DESCRIPTION 
Adult Male : Head and neck dark glossy green. Mantle and scapulars black, the feathers edged with 
lighter color. Rump and tail nearly black. Breast and abdomen chestnut, with round black spots, 
more numerous on abdomen. Spots on the sides and flanks larger. On the lower flank is a whitish- 
buff band, bordering exteriorly the black under tail-coverts. Outer wing-coverts brown, except the 
last row which are white. Speculum black, except for two or three feathers which are metallic 
copper-colored and green. There is a posterior white speculum-band; primaries brown. Under wing- 
coverts brown and white; axillars white. 
“Bill bluish lead-color, nail and the edges of the upper mandible black, the under mandible 
crossed near the tip by a band of reddish flesh-color ; Lrides hazel ; feet lead-color, with the membranes 
of a somewhat darker hue” (Gould). According to Mathews the iris is “blood-red.” 
Wing 205-219 mm. (according to Mathews up to 223 mm.); tarsus 36-40; culmen 38-41, 
Weight up to 3 pounds, 1 ounce per pair according to Keartland (1890). Males from 17 to 19 
ounces (0.48 to 0.53 kilograms) (W. B. Alexander, 1916, p. 29). 
Adult Female: Top of head black, with light edges to some of the feathers. Sides of head paler, 
thickly streaked with black. Chin and throat paler, nearly immaculate. Upper parts dark brown, 
the feathers edged with gray or brown. Lower parts brown with black spots formed by the centers 
of the feathers. Under tail-coverts darker than abdomen. Wing as in male. Colors of soft parts same 
as in male (?). 
Wing 191-205 mm.; bill 36-37; tarsus 34-36. 
Immature Female: Resembles adult female, but the black markings on the feathers of the breast 
are absent (Blaauw, 1916). 
