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Story: Wetland birds

Distribution of brown teal and grey teal

Choose species:

  • Brown teal

  • Grey teal

Click on a species name to see its New Zealand distribution in the early 2000s.

Brown teal are found in a few sites on Great Barrier Island and the North and South islands, and on island sanctuaries. Some of these populations have been established in recent years by transferring birds and protecting them from predators. Grey teal move frequently between wetlands throughout the North and South islands. Campbell Island teal and Auckland Island teal live on their respective island groups.

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Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Wetland birds – Teal, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/14639/distribution-of-brown-teal-and-grey-teal (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Deb and Rick Burton
27 November 2010
Walking up the Waikanae River bed, in Reikorangi, just after it branches the Ngatiawa under the old bridge on Mangaone South Road, we saw a duck splashing in the shadows, and as we got closer, two brown ducks, smaller than a Mallard, with a higher pitched quack, swimming together on the other side of the river. They didn't try and fly away, or even swim away past us. They did not seem to have any distinguishing marks on their feathers. It was about midday, 27th November 2010. Wish we had a digicamera my goodness!