Blue-winged Teal
From WikiBird
Contents |
Size
Length: ??cm (??in), Wingspan: ??cm (??in)
Field Marks
Medium-sized bill without spatulate tip, pale blue upper secondary coverts, green speculum with white leading edge, dark bill. Both sexes have a blue wing patch. In flight, they flap their wings especially rapidly. Breeding Male: Blue-gray head with darker cap. White crescent on face in front of eye. Buff breast and flanks with darker spotting. White band at rear portion of flanks. Black undertail coverts. Non-breeding Male: Similar to adult female, but forewing brighter. Female: Pale head, dark crown and eye line, pale eye ring, and loral spot. Mottled gray-brown body plumage with darker back. Juvenile: Similar to adult female.
Similar species
Adult in breeding plumage is unmistakable. Female, immature and eclipse male similar to Green-winged and Cinnamon Teals. Note the small size and small bill of the Green-winged Teals as well as the green speculum. Cinnamon Teal is very difficult to distinguish in some (female) plumages, but note the smaller bill without a spatulate tip and the more distinct facial pattern (pale loral spot and more distinct eye line) of the Blue-winged Teal. In Europe their yellow legs are a distinction from other small ducks like Common Teal and Garganey.
Sounds
The call of the male is a short whistle; the female's call is a soft quack.
Feeding & Behavior
These birds feed by dabbling in shallow water. They mainly eat plants; their diet may include molluscs and aquatic insects.
Habitat & Nesting
Their breeding habitat is marshes and ponds throughout north and central North America. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground lined with grass and down, usually surrounded by vegetation.
Range
They migrate in flocks to Central and South America. During migration, some birds may fly long distances over open ocean. They are occasional vagrants to Europe.
Resources
