old. Grey teal will regularly retrieve their food through the process of either dredging out estuary mudflats or exposed margins of lakeside to filter out food. Dabbling and upending in shallow water areas is another technique used for food retrieval, to collect invertebrates from just below the water surface. To obtain seeds, grey teal will strip them from the aquatic vegetation. During breeding season grey teal will feed strictly in breeding pairs or family parties; however, once the breeding season is over they tend to feed as a flock. In terms of ducklings, they must forage for their own food as there is no feeding from parents that occurs. Grey teal will feed at both morning and night time. Predators, parasites, and diseases Predators, parasites and disease is an area that has not been particularly well studied in grey teal. However, in Australia, they are considered a game bird due to large population numbers. Therefore hunters and duck shooters are a significant predator of these birds; whereas in New Zealand the grey teal is a protected species. This means that it cannot be hunted for due to low population numbers. Grey teal ducklings tend to be at higher risk of predation than adults. Other aviator predators pose a threat as they are known to take ducklings out of nests from approaching above. When in the water ducklings are at risk from eels, rats and swamp harriers as they have been known to predate when the ducklings are swimming. Additionally, when adult grey teal are with broods they are at risk to predators such as ferrets and stoats. A known parasite affecting waterfowl is Sarcocystis, also known as rice breast disease that is caused by a parasitic protozoan. Although this disease usually is asymptomatic (infected but shows no symptoms) if severe the infection can result in weakness, lameness and loss of muscle tissue. With these severe effects, this can increase the likelihood of predation on the infected species, thus increasing its chance of death. No specific cases of Sarcocystis have been found in grey teal; however, it is known that this parasite targets birds and more specifically waterfowl. The grey teal is one of three ducks known to host the virus Dalvirus anatis. Game season and conservation status The grey teal, Anas gracilis, is fully protected in New Zealand. The population was estimated at 20,000 birds in 1976 and has increased