20199207 (2) Blue-Winged Teal
Blue-winged teal, like other teal are the half-pints of the duck world.
Appearance
About half the size of a mallard, the blue-winged teal are easily recognized by their grey-blue shoulder patch and by the male’s white head-crescent and flank patch.
The female is drab and mottled brown and her wing patch is subdued with an almost black-green speculum and no white border.
Male’s bill is blue-black and the female’s is dusky with black spots.
Breeding
Blue-wing teal breed from Alaska to Nova Scotia.
They establish pairs on wintering grounds and during spring migration.
Hens lay an average of 10 eggs and add down feathers to aid in incubation, which lasts 24 days.
Ducklings fledge between 35 and 44 days.
Habitat: Grasslands bordering small potholes and other freshwater wetlands.
Range: Coast-to-coast though most breed in prairie and parkland. Winters as far south as Peru.
Diet: Diet changes dramatically with the seasons. It’s mainly plant matter, but mainly invertebrates for females during breeding.
20199207 (2) Blue-Winged Teal
Blue-winged teal, like other teal are the half-pints of the duck world.
Appearance
About half the size of a mallard, the blue-winged teal are easily recognized by their grey-blue shoulder patch and by the male’s white head-crescent and flank patch.
The female is drab and mottled brown and her wing patch is subdued with an almost black-green speculum and no white border.
Male’s bill is blue-black and the female’s is dusky with black spots.
Breeding
Blue-wing teal breed from Alaska to Nova Scotia.
They establish pairs on wintering grounds and during spring migration.
Hens lay an average of 10 eggs and add down feathers to aid in incubation, which lasts 24 days.
Ducklings fledge between 35 and 44 days.
Habitat: Grasslands bordering small potholes and other freshwater wetlands.
Range: Coast-to-coast though most breed in prairie and parkland. Winters as far south as Peru.
Diet: Diet changes dramatically with the seasons. It’s mainly plant matter, but mainly invertebrates for females during breeding.