Bird of the Week CHESTNUT TEAL Anascastanea

Male Chestnut Teal

Well I certainly didn't find this beauty in my backyard I had to travel 400klms to find this handsome creature

 

Mr and Mrs Chestnut Teal

Here in my area we get the Teal duck, they are much like the female in the picture above. 
In West Australia the Chestnut Teals are only found between Albany and Esperance and sometimes further north to Geraldton .
 They are dabbling ducks and enjoy a large range of food, seeds, insects and roots are some of their food sources and fresh drinking water is a must.
They can lay up to 15 eggs but more likely 7 to 9 eggs are laid in a scrape on the ground or in a hallow tree near water.
These pretty birds often fall prey to Ravens, Foxes,Raptors, snakes to name but a few of their enemy's but in spite of this, their numbers appear to be on the increase.