General

Blue-winged Teal: Small dabbling duck with purple-gray head and distinct white crescent on face. Upperparts are scaled buff and dark brown; underparts are pale brown with numerous dark spots. Wings have green speculum and pale blue shoulder patch visible in flight. Female has no purple on head, shows white at base of bill, has has scaled instead of spotted underparts. Juvenile resembles female but lacks white at base of bill; eclipse male retains much of the white crescent.

Range and Habitat

Blue-winged Teal: Breeds in northern prairies and parklands of central North America and spends winters from Central America and the Caribbean south to Peru and northeastern Brazil. Preferred nesting habitats include wetland areas within grasslands, such as marshes, ponds, and lakes. Winter habitats are mostly swamps and shallow wetlands.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"tsee tsee"

Interesting Facts

 Blue-winged Teals have the highest annual mortality rate (reaching 65%) of all the dabbling ducks, possibly as a result of hunting and long over-ocean migration.

 They are occasional vagrants to Europe, where their yellow legs are a distinction from other small ducks like Common Teal and Garganey. DNA analysis of this species has revealed its genetic make up to be almost identical to that of the Cinnamon teal.

 They are more vocal than most ducks—their high-pitched peeping and nasal quacking is commonly heard in spring and to a lesser extent in fall.

 A group of teal has many collective nouns, including a "coil", "dopping", "knob", "paddling", and "spring" of teal.

Author

Gary Owen Dick