Teal (Common Teal)
Anas crecca
   |
|
Distribution Britain 1,147 (-16.6%) Ireland 188 (-51.5%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 2,050 Ireland 550 European status: 350,000 (1% in Britain and Ireland =10) British population trend: declining How likely are you to record it? 39 squares (0.9%) Ranked 122[84=] |
These small ducks are not easy to record when breeding, but they probably underwent a considerable decline in the last century as land was drained and enclosed. Their breeding range, and numbers, probably stabilised in most upland areas, particularly in Scotland, and some lowland. However there is good evidence for decline in population (and range) over the last 20 or 30 years with the effects of planting trees for forestry being partly responsible. Up to 150 pairs may now nest in Wales. In Ireland the south-eastern half of the island now has very few breeding records and the birds were found in less than half as many squares for the second as for the first breeding atlas. In winter the numbers of immigrant Teal dwarfs those from native stock. Prospects do not look good.
The following Bird On! sketch is available:
Teal
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead