ARGENTINE GRAY TEAL 
403 
Adult Female: Similar to the male, but the speculum with less strong green reflections. 
Wing 180-200 mm.; bill 42-44; tarsus 34-36. 
Immature Specimens are less plainly marked on the mantle and lack the long ornamental tertials. 
The lower parts mostly lack the definite round black spots, and the ornamental feathers of the lower 
flanks are not so well developed. The speculum is a little duller and the top of the head more brown- 
ish. 
Young in Down: Entirely unlike young of Mallard and of American Blue-winged Teal and more 
nearly hke that of the Brown Pintail. Upper side, particularly crown of head, back and rump, jet 
black. Lower surface grayish white, grayer on flanks and upper breast. Sides of head marked with 
very distinct pattern, consisting of a broad eye-streak running back and merging with the black 
head-cap. Between this and the head-cap a narrower grayish streak. There is an irregular dark aural 
patch and sometimes an indefinite darker streak running back from angle of jaw. The bill is heavy 
and deep resembling that of the Pintail early in life. 
DISTRIBUTION 
This species is resident in the southern parts of South America, but it is evidently more or less 
migratory at the extremities of its range. The northernmost record is for the Bolivian Chaco, where 
the species was found near Tarija (Lbnnberg, 1903). It is a common bird on the lower Pilcomayo, 
near Fortin Donovan (Kerr, 1890) and is included in the lists of Paraguayan birds compiled by 
H. von Ihering (1904) and Bertoni (1914). It has also been taken in the extreme southeastern part of 
Brazil, Province of Rio Grande do Sul (Hartert, 1891; H. and R. von Ihering, 1907). In Uruguay it 
is a common bird, most abundant in winter. It has been recorded from Concepcion, San Jose, 
Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha and Cerro Largo (Barrows, 1884; Aplin, 1894; Tremol- 
eras, 1920). 
This Teal occurs everywhere in the Argentine and has been recorded from Jujuy (Lonnberg, 
1903), Tucuman (Lillo, 1902), Santiago del Estero (Hartert and Venturi, 1909), Rioja (Giacomelli, 
1907), Cordoba (Schulz, fide Dabbene, 1910) and Mendoza, where it is said to be common in the 
Lavalle Department (H. Burmeister, 1861; Reed, 1916). In the Province of Buenos Aires it seems to 
be fairly common, though few birds appear to nest (A. H. Holland, 1892; Hartert and Venturi, 1909; 
C. H. B. Grant, 1911; E. Gibson, 1920). In Patagonia, however, it is everywhere a fairly common 
resident. Mr. J. L. Peters (MS.) found it so in northwestern Patagonia (Rio Negro) and Durnford 
(1878) in central Patagonia. Doering (1881) has recorded it from the Rio Negro, and the Museum 
of the University of California has specimens from the same region. The Princeton Expedition met 
with it near the east coast (Scott and Sharpe, 1912). 
In Chile it is evidently not a common bird. James (1892) describes it as an occasional visitor. 
The British Museum has specimens from Santiago and the Rio Bueno, and Lane (1897) also met 
with the species at the latter place. Schalow (1898) has listed a specimen from Concepcion and the 
U.S. National Museum has one from Peine. 
Cunningham met with it at Punta Arenas in the Straits (P. L. Sclater and Salvin, 1870a), but in 
Tierra del Fuego it seems to be almost entirely migratory (Crawshay, 1907; Vinciguerra, Dab- 
bene, 1910; Blaauw, 1916a). R. M. Beck, however, took a specimen there in mid- winter, July 3 
(Brewster-Sanford collection). It is not a common bird in the Falklands, but it evidently breeds 
there (Abbott, 1861). 
Sundevall (1871) has described a specimen taken on the Galapagos Islands. No further informa- 
tion as to its occurrence in that group is available. 
