Wildlife

UK Teal Conservation and Wetland Breeding

Conservation of teal in UK wetland habitats and welfare of this small dabbling duck.

Key Facts

Teal are the UK's smallest dabbling duck with distinctive green and chestnut plumage
UK breeding population is small but wintering numbers are internationally important
Shallow wetland with emergent vegetation is preferred breeding habitat
UK hosts tens of thousands of wintering teal from northern Europe and Russia
Teal are sensitive to wetland disturbance and drain rapidly in cold weather

Welfare Considerations

Individual teal depend on shallow productive wetlands for feeding and nesting, with habitat management and protection from disturbance directly influencing their welfare.

What You Can Do

Support Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust teal habitat management
Visit WWT reserves to see teal and other winter wildfowl
Advocate for shallow wetland creation in conservation planning