BIRD 5

There is enough of this bathing bird on show to see that it is a duck (the ‘spatulate’ bill is enough of giveaway on its own). We only have the front end to look at though, including the head, bill, breast and a bit of the belly and a hint of flank feathering. Starting at the bill, this is black and moderately proportioned. The head is dark brick red, with a bottle green patch around and behind the eye, bordered by a very fine yellowish line, which also traces down to the rear edge of the bill. The breast is pale with regularly arranged darker spots and the flanks are very finely barred (‘vermiculated’, if you will...). All these features combined point to this being a drake Teal.

Key features

The bill and general shape exclaim ‘duck!’

Brick red head with green patch and yellow lines

Pale, speckled breast

Vermiculated flanks