Teal Call MP3s
Small, fast-flying and vocal, the Eurasian Teal is a classic early-season dabbler for wetland hunters from Western Europe to East Asia. These recordings capture its distinctive high-pitched drake whistle and softer hen quack.
Also known as
Recordings (5)
About this species
Around 35 cm in length, the Common Teal (Anas crecca) is a duck of the Anatidae family: the male marked with a chestnut head crossed by a glossy green eye-stripe edged in cream. It favours shallow, well-vegetated marshes, floodlands and reedy pool edges.
The male's distinctive short, dry 'crick crick' whistle carries surprisingly far across the water. It takes small seeds and aquatic invertebrates sieved from the surface and shallow mud. It flies in fast, twisting, compact flocks that wheel as one over the marsh. A classic quarry of the European wildfowling tradition, it reaches peak abundance on southern marshes during the cold months.
Legal use
The Eurasian Teal is a widespread and abundant dabbling duck, legally hunted as a game species across much of the EU (Birds Directive Annex II quarry) and UK, as well as in parts of North Africa, the Middle East and across its wintering range in South and East Asia. It is one of the more numerous duck species taken by hunters and is not currently flagged with the population concerns affecting some other Anas species, though local trends vary by country. Season dates, bag limits and licensing still vary significantly by country, so check current local rules before hunting; see our full country-by-country disclaimer for details.