The Auckland teal, also known as Auckland Islands teal, is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Anas that is endemic to Auckland Islands south of New Zealand. The species was once found throughout the Auckland Islands, but is now restricted to the islands that lack introduced predators: Adams Island, Enderby Island, Disappointment Island and a few smaller islands. An old report of "the same flightless duck" on North East Island, The Snares group most likely refers to a straggler.
Region
New Zealand Subantarctic Islands
Typical Environment
Confined to predator-free islets of the Auckland Islands archipelago, especially Adams, Enderby, Disappointment and small adjacent islets. It favors rugged coastlines with extensive kelp beds, boulder beaches, and sheltered coves. Birds also use stream margins, wet tussock clearings, and dense megaherb vegetation for cover. By day they remain hidden; at night they forage along intertidal zones and in shallow freshwater. The absence of introduced predators is a key requirement for their persistence.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 400 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Auckland teal is a largely flightless dabbling duck restricted to the predator-free islands of the Auckland Islands group south of New Zealand. It is nocturnal and secretive, spending days hidden in dense tussock and megaherbs and emerging at night to forage along kelp-lined shores and streams. Past predation by introduced mammals pushed it off the main Auckland Island, and conservation relies on keeping out invasive predators.
Auckland teal mount in the collection of Auckland Museum
Temperament
secretive and crepuscular
Flight Pattern
flightless; runs swiftly and swims strongly
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and strongly tied to dense cover. Pairs are monogamous and defend small coastal territories. Nests are placed under tussock or in dense megaherbs near water, with a clutch typically of a few creamy eggs. Ducklings are led to sheltered pools and kelp edges soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft and often given at night: males emit thin wheezy whistles and low trills, while females give harsher quacks and grunts. Contact calls are quiet and used to keep pair cohesion in dense cover.
