Marbled teal      Marmaronetta angustirostris 

One of the birds is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List it's an elegant bird having a brown body dappled dark and cream with dark oval patch around eye. This bird breed in central and southern areas of Iraq it could seen near the rivers, lakes and marshes. spread after the breeding season to different parts of Iraq is endemic in ponds and marshes, feeding on small seeds and invertebrates. This species is exposed to many threats of the destruction of spawning areas and feeding areas in the marshes and other habitats, overfishing by firearms, fishing nets and vulnerability to toxins that are intended for fish

   Photos was taken in summer birds surveys in Babylon governorate, AL-Escandria / AL- Qadiriya site summer years 2011 - 2012 

  Marbled teal juvenile 

  Flaying  marbled teal