Andean Teal

The Andean Teal is a resident duck of Ecuador’s high Andean wetlands, favoring freshwater lakes, marshes, and wooded swamps at elevation. Though its population is estimated between 6,000 and 15,000 mature individuals and appears to be declining, it remains classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its broad range and relatively stable numbers. In Ecuador, it nests in dense vegetation near water, sometimes using tree forks or even old parakeet nests, and both parents help raise the young. Feeding primarily by dabbling and upending, it plays a quiet but steady role in the highland wetland ecosystems it inhabits.