Anas discors
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.