The gray teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) is a small swimming duck with little apparent sexual dimorphism. The adult male is sandy brown in color, with a slightly darker back and numerous whitish-yellowish spots on the stern, flanks and back. It has a distinctive dark mask with faint edges and some feathers such as a small ponytail on the nape of the neck. Its head is finely grooved. The beak is thin and dark.
The adult female is very similar, slightly smaller in size, with a smaller tail and slightly different bill color. The young look very similar to the adults, but are somewhat paler and grayer and generally have less noticeable spots. In flight the species looks relatively pale, especially the undersides of the wings. The whitish secondaries also contrast with the dark wing tips.
The reproduction of the gray teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) registered in Spain in 2023 decreased by 35% compared to the data of the previous season due to the severe drought suffered in the breeding areas of this species, especially in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. In concrete terms, 480 chickens were registered last year, about a third less than in 2022when 740 were reached, halting the upward trend of recent years.
The number of chicks (that is, females accompanied by chicks) also decreased, going from 115 in 2022 to 75 in 2023. This is confirmed by the data from the working group gray tealcoordinated by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), presented at the last meeting at the Zoobotánico of Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz).
By autonomous communities, Andalusia is the one that registered the highest number of chickens, with 192 people. The species reproduced in 12 of its wetlands, two of which were highlighted in the area of Doñana, where there were five chicks in each area, in the Marismas de Henares (Cádiz) and in Brazo del Este (Seville). Thus, the Guadalquivir swamps still harbor most of the species’ breeding population in this region, with 76% of the pairs.
Remarkable Reproduction took place for the first time in the Guadalhorce Mouth nature reserve (Málaga), where a female with eight chicks was observed. In addition, the small center of Fuente de Piedra is located in the same province, with three successful couples.
The reproduction of the gray teal is declining due to the drought
Regarding the data in the Valencian Community, the species that breed in five different locations, including the El Hondo Natural Park (Alicante), the Clot de Galvany Municipal Natural Park (Elche), the Marjal de Almenara (Castellón) stand out. Albufera Natural Park in Valencia, with 15, six, five and four couples respectively. A total of 173 chickens were registered.
In this autonomous community there was also a decrease in the number of flocks compared to 2022, as 2023 was not such a favorable year in terms of flood levels in the wetlands of southern Alicante.
Unlike the two previous autonomous communities, Historical reproduction maxima were recorded in the Balearic Islands in 2023with a total of 14 chicks and 115 chicks in the wetlands around S’Albufera de Mallorca.
He was registered in Castilla-La Mancha only one female with chicks in the Tablas de Daimiel National Park, alongside three other chicks in the captive breeding facilities. A clutch was also found in the community of Madrid, in a nest box installed in the lagoons of El Porcal, but the eggs did not hatch.
Milestone in the reproduction of the gray teal
In the Valencian Community, a milestone in the reproduction of the species stands out, recorded for the first time in many years breeding in El Espigar, a wetland area in the El Hondo Natural Park, acquired by the associations ANSE and SEO/BirdLife within the framework of the LIFE Cerceta Pardilla project, coordinated by the MITECO Biodiversity Foundation. At least five different females, accompanied by 36 chicks, were observed in this wetland.
Three of these females occupy a salt marsh area that was dry in the years prior to the purchase of El Espigar, but that was thanks to the works carried out provides a suitable water level for the species.
In addition, an improvement was made in the ecological conditions of the farm, by adapting it to the needs of the gray teal. The water and vegetation management actions ensured constant flooding during the breeding season and created an attractive habitat for the species.
Measures for the recovery of the gray teal
Governments, together with the scientific community, conservation organizations and civil society, provide input important steps for the recovery of the gray teal.
One of the most important lines of action for the conservation of this species is the restoration of priority wetlands. In addition to the actions described above, progress is being made in Andalusia to improve the management of important wetlands for the species, with the important aim of restoring hydrological dynamics in the lower Guadalquivir.
Another important action is the captive breeding in reference centers, such as the Granja de El Saler breeding center, managed by the Generalitat Valenciana, and the coordinated nature reserve Cañada de los Pájaros (Seville). To this are added the Jerez de la Frontera Zoo (Cádiz) and the Tablas de Daimiel National Park (Ciudad Real).
Captive breeding allowed for release in 2023 a total of 579 specimens in wetlands of Andalusia, the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha and the Community of Madrid, which serve to strengthen wild populations. In addition, cooperation with Italy continues to transfer and release persons in the context of the recovery project being developed in Sicily.
Reducing threats to the gray teal
Another measure that is being implemented is the Improving knowledge about the species with GPS marking of specimens. In 2023, 52 new specimens were marked with transmitters, making it possible to obtain more information about their movements and make progress in establishing common methodologies with the North African countries, to which the gray teal It generally moves in winter.
The total number of gray teals equipped with GPS transmitters in Spain, following the declaration of the species’ critical status in 2018, amounts to 218. The information generated also allows us to identify the main causes of death and find solutions to reduce these threats.
Moreover, it remains the cooperation and involvement of other actors and sectors related to the species or its habitat. For this reason, land management agreements were signed with private managers of agricultural, livestock and hunting farms for the development of positive tasks in habitat management and strengthening of monitoring of the gray tealto ensure their commitment and dedication to the conservation of the species.