Anas
discors
(Blue-winged
Teal)
Physical
Description:
Size: 14.5-16" (37-41
cm). Teal are small-bodied dabbling ducks. Males have a bluish-gray head with
a large white crescent before the eye. Body mottled brown above, pinkish with
black spots below. Females mottled buff
to brown. Both sexes have
a large blue patch on the forewing. When on the water, this blue patch can sometimes
be seen as a bluish stripe along the side of the body.
Similar Species- Female Blue-winged Teal are almost indistinguishable from female Cinnamon Teal and Green-winged Teal. Female Northern Shovelers have a broader bill and are much larger.
Song:
Call
of the male is a high-pitched, single note peep. Females have a high quack.
Distribution:
Breeds
from southern Canada, south to southern California, New Mexico, central Texas,
Louisiana, and North Carolina. Winters from southern U.S., south to northern
South America.
Habitat:
Found on marshes, ponds, sloughs, lakes
and sluggish streams. During migration and when not breeding, found in both
freshwater and
brackish situations (prefers freshwater
marshes, ponds, and sloughs, but can also be found in river pools, salt ponds,
and estuaries). In Idaho, occupies low- elevation wetlands, but may be seen
on higher-elevation lakes during fall migration.
Diet:
Feeds on vegetative parts of aquatic plants
(algae, duckweeds, pondweeds, etc.), as well as seeds (sedges, pondweeds, grasses,
etc.). Also feeds on large amounts of aquatic invertebrates.
Ecology:
Nests on dry land near water. Usually
forms flocks when not breeding. May
feed with other dabbling ducks, coots, and shorebirds. Hybridizes occasionally
with Cinnamon Teal.
6-15 eggs (usually 9-11),
for 23-27 days. Nestlings are precocial, and tended by female.
First flight of young occurs 35-44 days after hatching.
Conservation:
| Element Code: | ABNJB10130 |
| Status: | Game species |
| Global Rank: | G5 |
| State Rank: | S5 |
| National Rank: | N5B,N5N |
Important
State References:
No references are available at this time.