Blue-winged Teal

The Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) is a small dabbling duck.

The adult male has a grayish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult female is mottled brown. Both sexes have a blue wing patch. In flight, they flap their wings especially rapidly.

Their breeding habitat is marshes and ponds throughout north and central North America. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground and lined with grass and down, usually surrounded by vegetation.

They migrate in flocks to Central and South America. During migration, some birds may fly long distances over the open ocean. They can be found occasionally in Europe, where their yellow legs are a distinction from other small ducks like Common Teal and Garganey.

These birds feed by dabbling in shallow water. They mainly eat plants; their diet may include mollusks and aquatic insects.

The call of the male is a short whistle; the female’s call is a soft quack.