Gray Teal

1. Uniform grey face without bold facial stripes, paler neck and throat than female Chestnut Teal

2. White wing panels visible in flight, contrasting with dark wing feathers and the purple-green speculum of Pacific Black Ducks

3. Bright crimson eyes that stand out against the grey plumage

Grey Teals breed opportunistically, timing nesting to coincide with favourable water conditions. Females lay between 6 and 12 eggs in nests hidden among reeds or grasses near water. Both parents care for the young, which are precocial and able to feed soon after hatching. Satellite tracking has shown that individuals can travel over 1,2 kilometres, following rainfall and flooding patterns across Australia’s interior. This nomadic behaviour allows them to exploit temporary wetlands that appear unpredictably.

Grey Teals inhabit almost any wetland type, from temporary floodwaters and rice fields to permanent lakes, coastal lagoons, sewage treatment ponds, and swamps. They are highly mobile and can appear suddenly in large numbers following rain events, often dispersing just as quickly when conditions dry up. They are most active during dawn and dusk, feeding on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates. Look for them after heavy rains or flooding, especially in inland and coastal wetlands.