Eurasian Teal Anas crecca on West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands: First Australian record and first Southern Hemisphere record in the East Asian Flyway

Abstract

A Eurasian Teal Anas crecca was observed and photographed on West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, in the eastern Indian Ocean. It was found swimming in a land-locked lagoon known as Bechet Besar (12°9′S, 96°50′E) on 10 December 2010. Subsequent to this it was seen by numerous observers, and was still present at the same site 12 months later. The BirdLife Australia Rarities Committee (formerly Birds Australia Rarities Committee) has accepted the sighting as the first documented occurrence of this species in Australian territory. As far as can be ascertained, this is also the first sighting of a Eurasian Teal south of the Equator other than in equatorial Africa.