Blue-winged Teal

The Blue-winged Teal is a small dabbling duck. Its placement in Anas is by no means certain; a member of the blue-winged group also including the shovelers, it may be better placed in Spatula. It is not a teal in the strict sense, and also does not seem closely related to the Garganey as was for some time believed. Indeed, its color pattern is strikingly reminiscent of the Australasian Shoveler.

The Blue-winged Teal is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) is a small dabbling duck. Its placement in Anas is by no means certain; a member of the "blue-winged" group also including the shovelers, it may be better placed in Spatula. It is not a teal in the strict sense, and also does not seem closely related to the Garganey as was for some time believed. Indeed, its color pattern is strikingly reminiscent of the Australasian Shoveler. The Blue-winged Teal is 40 cm (15. More

Description: Male blue-winged teal have a slate gray head and neck, a black-edged white crescent in front of the eyes and a blackish crown. The breast and sides are tan with dark brown speckles and there is a white spot on the side of the rump. Most of the upper wing coverts are blue-gray, the secondaries form an iridescent green speculum and the underwing is whitish. The bill is black and the legs and feet are yellowish to orange. More

The blue-winged teal is one of the most numerous dabbling ducks in North America. Its small size and fast, erratic flying pattern make it a challenging hunt for waterfowlers. Identification True to its name, the blue-winged teal can be identified by the large gray-blue patch seen on the upper wing while it is in flight. Both the cinnamon teal and northern shoveler also show a blue wing. More

* Blue-winged Teal at USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter * Blue-winged Teal at Cornell Lab of Ornithology * Blue-winged Teal Information and Photos at South Dakota Birds and Birding * Blue-winged Teal Information at eNature.com * Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. More

Blue-winged Teal Range MapView dynamic map of eBird sightings Field MarksHelp - * Male breedingPopOutZoom In Male breeding * © William L. Newton / CLO * FemalesPopOutZoom In Females * © William L. More

Blue-winged teal begin returning to many states as they head north in April. Out of the country since their early fall passage in September, the drakes are now dressed for success sporting their sharp breeding plumage. This small dabbler is known for its twisting, turning flight and for its strafing runs low over the marshes. Its small size and rapid wing beats give the illusion of high speeds. More

Blue-winged Teal male has brown eyes, black bill, and yellow legs with dusky webbed feet. Neck and head are usually dark grey with glossy purple feathers. Crown and throat are black. We can see broad white crescent bordered with black before the eye. Breast, belly and flanks are reddish-brown spotted darker brown, becoming as a band on the upper flanks. Tail, rump and rectrices are black. Vent is white. More

The Blue-winged Teal has a very large range, estimated to be 11,000,000 square kilometers. It is native to most regions of the western hemisphere but has been spotted in many parts of Europe. It prefers ecosystems that are moist or wet, such as wetlands, intertidal, coastal or supratidal marine areas, or wet grassland areas. The global population of the bird is estimated at about 6,100,000 individuals. The bird is not currently believed to meet population decline criteria for the IUCN Red List. More

blue-winged teal, a trait by which the old hunter determines its identity at once. In parties of 8 to 10 or a dozen they will circle around, descending again and again only to rise again and go farther up or lower down the stream to repeat the same demonstrations of indecision, many times over, and just as unexpectedly they suddenly drop out of sight between the treeless banks. More

The Blue-winged Teal is in the family Anatidae. This family is made up of ducks and duck-like waterfowl. The members of this family share adaptations to life on the water including webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers with special oils to prevent water absorption. The word teal is thought to have originated from the medieval English word, tele, which means small. This refers to the duck’s small size. It is called the Blue-winged Teal because of a light blue patch on its forewings. More

Blue-winged Teal The Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) is a small dabbling duck. Description: The Blue-winged Teal is 40 cm (15.5") long, with a 58 cm (23") wingspan and weighs 180 g (13 oz). They have 2 molts per year and a third molt in their first year. More

blue-winged teal and a layover for others en route to or from wintering grounds that range from the Gulf Coast and Florida to South America. Early in migration males are in eclipse plumage, the duller late-summer color variation striking only for the blue wing patches that are visible in flight and that give them their name. More

Discussion Fast and wary, Blue-winged Teal fly in small groups or flocks, turning in unison and flashing the blue area of the wing. They arrive latest of all ducks at their breeding grounds and leave early in the fall. On low, marshy prairies in the central part of the continent, where this duck is most numerous, virtually every pond and pothole has a breeding pair. The male commonly "stands guard" on the pond while the female is incubating. More

The breeding male blue-winged teal has a brown body with black spots, a dark gray head with a white crescent in front of his eyes, and a white patch on his hip. The female is a brown duck with a white patch that stretches from her throat to the base of her bill to make a slight crescent. The nonbreeding male looks like the female. Both sexes have a blue wing patch that you can see when their wings are open or folded. More

* Blue-winged Teal Population Estimates * Green-winged Teal * American Wigeon * Gadwall Population Estimates * Scaup Population Estimates * Northern Shoveler Population Estimates More

Fast and agile flyers, Blue-winged Teal are often seen in small flocks, twisting and turning as a single unit. When foraging they usually stick to very shallow water, plucking food items from the surface and swimming with their heads partially submerged. They do not tend to up-end or feed out of the water. back to top Diet - Like other dabblers, Blue-winged Teal eat grass and aquatic plant seeds, as well as insects and other aquatic invertebrates. More

The Blue-Winged Teal is a small, handsome duck that is known for its speed and agility in flight. It has an unusual way of feeding; unlike other dabbling ducks, the Bluewing doesn't usually tip up to feed, instead it skims the top surface of water for plant matter and small insects. The Blue-winged Teal is best recognized in the field for its small size and the crescent cheek markings of the male duck. More

Blue-winged Teal determination Similar species Anatidae American Wigeon | Black-bellied Tree-Duck | Blue-winged Teal | Fulvous Tree-Duck | Lesser Scaup | Masked Duck | Muscovy Duck | Pintail | Southern Pochard | White-cheeked Pintail | White-faced Tree-Duck | Conservation status Blue-winged Teal status Least Concern Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) Anseriformes | Anatidae | More

* Blue-winged teal at Funk WPA2:13 * Ajouter à la file d'attente Ajoutée à la file d'attente Blue-winged teal at Funk WPA93 vueseichhorstvideos * Blue-wing Teal0:35 * Ajouter à la file d'attente Ajoutée à la file d'attente Blue-wing Teal409 vuesgmvideos06 * Calling More

Female blue-winged teal have a brownish-gray head with a darker crown and eye-stripe. The breast and sides are brown, the upper parts are olive brown, and the upper wing coverts are bluish, but less vibrant than the drake. The bill is gray-black and the legs and feet are dull yellow-brown. The female has a high-pitched squeak. More

The Blue-Winged Teal is one of the smallest and fastest flying ducks of North America. Measuring about 15 inches in length, the drake (male) has a blue-gray head with a white, crescent shaped marking in front of the bill. The bill is dark and broad. The underparts are bronze with fine black spots. The wings and back are dark. The sky-blue speculums (wing feathers) are difficult to see when the bird is in the water, but are conspicuous in flight. More

Blue-winged Teal - Photo Copyright Ward Cameron 2003 - Click to view a larger image Blue-winged Teal - Photo Copyright Ward Cameron 2003 - Click to view a larger image Blue-winged Teal - Photo Copyright Ward Cameron 2003 - Click to view a larger image Blue-winged Teal - Photo Copyright Ward Cameron 2003 - Click to view a larger image Click on an image (if available) to see a larger version Site Directory = MountainNature Home Ward Cameron Ent. More