Head on Over and Visit Our Friends to the South

Puna Teal

Notice a Difference?

Scientists didn't!
The Puna teal was previously considered to be conspecific with the Silver teal before its recognition as a separate species. 
The Puna teal is now found within the genus Spatula while the Silver teal is found within the genus Anas
Can you spot both?

Silver Teal

Cuban Whistling Duck

Also known as the
West Indian Whistling Duck 
Home Range: Endemic to the islands of the West Indies
​
Fun Fact: This species is primarily nocturnal and is one of the rarest ducks in the Americas

Teals on Teals

Madagascar Teal
​Anas bernieri
Common Teal
​Anas crecca
Sharp-winged Teal
Anas flavirostris oxyptera
Domain-Eukarya
​Kingdom-Animalia
Phylum-Chordata
Class -Aves
Order-Anseriformes
Family-Anatidae
Genus-Anas
Species
While these three species look completely different, they share the same Genus.
Carolus Linnaeus, known as the father of taxonomy, created the hierarchical system of classification that we utilize still today to classify and name organisms. This system includes eight taxa, viewed above, which place each plant and animal into its unique species grouping. Utilizing our teals as examples, they share the same hierarchical classification until genus and then are differentiated by their separate species names.