Status: Least Concern

Geographic Region
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay

Habitat
Freshwater

Physical Description
The male has a chestnut back, pale gray flanks, and a buff brown chest covered with speckles. A black band runs from the top of its head town to the nape.

Reproduction
Their nests are in tree hollows or abandoned stick nests of other birds. They lay 6-12 eggs which are incubated for about 26-28 days. The male and female take turns to incubate the eggs and care for the young. At breeding time the female swims around in a type of figure eight pattern while the male throws his head backwards and whistles.

Diet: Herbivore
Their main diet consists of seeds and small plant life.

Behavior
While swimming, the ringed teal ducks hold their tail horizontally so it does not touch the surface of the water. Like all wood ducks, the ringed teal's gait is peculiar, giving the effect of limping because they nod on only every other step. The male and female calls differ. The male has a soft, long whistle; the female a short, harsh quack.

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