Green-winged Teal

Overview

Green-winged Teal: Small dabbling duck with pale, gray-barred sides and buff breast with a white bar down the side. Head is chestnut-brown with green ear patch. Bill is dark gray and legs and feet are olive-gray to gray-brown. Speculum is flashy green bordered with brown above and white below.

Range and Habitat

Green-Winged Teal: Breeds in northern Alaska, Manitoba, and Quebec south to California, Colorado, Nebraska, and New York. Spends winters in southern states and along the coasts. Preferred habitats include marshes, ponds, and marshy lakes.

INTERESTING FACTS

The American and Eurasian forms of the Green-winged Teal were formerly considered different species. It was considered conspecific with the Common Teal for some time, and the issue is still being reviewed by the American Ornithologists' Union. This is the smallest North American dabbling duck. A group of teal has many collective nouns, including a "coil", "dopping", "knob", "paddling", and "spring" of teal.