Salvadori's teal or Salvadori's duck, is a species of bird endemic to New Guinea. It is placed in the monotypic genus Salvadorina.
Region
New Guinea
Typical Environment
Found along boulder-strewn, forested rivers and streams, especially in upland and montane zones. It frequents swift riffles, pools, and backwaters where it can dabble and pick invertebrates from stones and leaf packs. Birds also use quieter reaches of lakes and marshy margins adjacent to forest. Riparian vegetation and overhanging cover are important for concealment and nesting. It avoids heavily disturbed lowland waterways.
Altitude Range
200–3000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Salvadori's teal is a little-known duck of fast-flowing forest rivers in New Guinea and the sole member of the genus Salvadorina. It is adapted to torrents, often perching on rocks and foraging in riffles like a river specialist. The species is elusive and often encountered in pairs or small family groups. Habitat alteration and hunting pressure contribute to its conservation concern.
Temperament
shy and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats low over water; strong flier along river corridors
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups; larger gatherings are rare. Nests are placed close to water, in banks, cavities, or dense vegetation along forested streams. Pairs defend short stretches of river with suitable feeding and loafing sites. Breeding timing likely tracks local river levels and seasonal rains.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Generally quiet; contact calls are soft quacks and whistles. Males may give a thin, wheezy whistle during courtship, and birds emit low, nasal calls when flushed.
Plumage
Dusky brown overall with fine mottling and barring, darker on the head and mantle and paler, buffy mottling on the face and underparts. Feathers appear dense and slightly glossy when wet, aiding in fast-water habitats.
Diet
Takes aquatic invertebrates such as mayfly and caddisfly larvae, small crustaceans, snails, and other insect prey gleaned from stones and submerged vegetation. Also consumes seeds, tender aquatic shoots, and algae when available. Foraging often involves dabbling in eddies and picking prey from riffles and rock surfaces.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in shallow riffles, pool margins, and pebble-bottom runs of clear, forested streams. Often forages from rocks or by wading and dabbling along sheltered banks and under overhanging vegetation.
