The breeding Teal (Anas crecca) of a coastal raised mire in central West Wales

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Between 13 and 18 pairs of Teal successfully bred on the coastal peatland complex of Cors Fochno, Dyfed, during 1980–83. Nests located were all within 50 m of ditches, which were the subsequent feeding areas of broods. Clutches were started between 22 April and 19 May; mean clutch size was 9.25 (n = 10). A total of 74 eggs in eight clutches gave rise to 46 ducklings, and mean brood size for families less than 5 days old was 6.21 (n = 53). Of these 240 ducklings less than 5 days old from 53 broods, 151 fully fledged or attained adult size, a total mean brood size at this age of 3.80 (n = 45). Blocking of ditches on the site gave rise to deep linear pools with abundant emergent vegetation and was followed by a three- to four-fold increase in the number of nesting Teal.
Keywords