Editing Marbled duck (section)

==Distribution, habitat and breeding==
[[File:Marmaronetta angustirostris MWNH 1005.JPG|left|thumb|Eggs, Collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]]]

This duck formerly bred in large numbers in the Mediterranean region, but is now restricted to a few sites in southern Spain, southern Italy, northwest Africa and the broader [[Levant]]. Further east it survives in the [[Mesopotamian Marshes|Mesopotamian marshland]] in southern Iraq and in Iran ([[Shadegan]] Marshes - the world's most important site), as well as isolated pockets in [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], South [[European Russia]], western India and western China. In general the species has nomadic tendencies. In some areas birds disperse from the breeding grounds, and have been encountered in the winter period in the [[Sahel]] zone, south of the [[Sahara]].<ref name="iucn" />

Its preferred breeding habitat is temporary and shallow fresh, [[brackish]] or [[alkaline]] waters with densely vegetated shores in regions that otherwise are fairly dry. It may also breed in coastal lagoons, along slow rivers or man-made waters like reservoirs. The on average {{circa}} 12 eggs are placed in a nest covered by dense vegetation at the waters edge. It is usually on the ground, but occasionally higher among reeds or on huts made from reeds.<ref name="iucn" /> They are common in captive collections but are a nervous and flighty bird.

These are gregarious birds, at times even when nesting. Outside the breeding season flocks are often small, although large wintering flocks have been reported in some areas. The largest winter concentration known is in [[Khūzestān Province|Khuzestan]], Iran.<ref name=BWP/>

In 2011, a group of Iraqi ornithologists counted a single flock of the rare marbled teal on the lakes of the [[Mesopotamian Marshes|Iraqi marshes]], numbering at least 40,000 birds.<ref name=bbc/>