Marbled Teal

Mamaronetta angustirostris 

SSP Coordinator:

Ian Shelley, Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Vice Coordinator:

Joanna Klass, Woodland Park Zoo 

The marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) is a medium-sized duck classified as Vulnerable in the wild due to ongoing population declines across its range in southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. It primarily inhabits shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands, including marshes, temporary ponds, lagoons, and slow-moving waters, often favoring areas with dense emergent vegetation. Marbled teal are mainly omnivorous, feeding on seeds and other parts of aquatic plants, as well as insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and other small invertebrates. Habitat loss, water extraction, pollution, and disturbance continue to threaten this species, making wetland protection and careful water management essential for its conservation.