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Blue-winged Teal

Anas discors ORDER: ANSERIFORMES FAMILY: ANATIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Blue-winged Teal Photo

© William L. Newton / CLO

A small duck of shallow ponds, the Blue-winged Teal breeds across much of the central and northern United States and Canada. Rather dull in plumage overall, it reveals its powder-blue wing patch in flight.

Inside Birding
For complete information on this species, visit The Birds of North America Online.

Appearance

Ducks
Ducks
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Small duck.
  • Brown or gray overall.
  • Large light blue patches on front of wing, visible in flight.
  • Male with white crescent on face.

Male Description

Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Blue-gray head with large white crescent behind bill. Cinnamon-brown body feathers, patterned with fine black marks. White patch on rear flank. Upper wing with light blue patch with white rear border. Back of wing iridescent green.
Eclipse (Basic) Plumage: Gray-brown overall, without white patches. Faint outline of white face crescent.

Female Description

Gray-brown overall, with small white area at base of bill. Bill dark. Light blue upper wing patch with narrow white border. Back of wing mostly brown, with little green.

Immature Description

Similar to adult female.

Range Map Help

Blue-winged Teal Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Similar Species

  • Female Cinnamon Teal very similar in appearance, but is warmer brown, less patterned, has a plainer face, and a longer bill.
  • Female Green-winged Teal is warmer brown, lacks white near the base of the bill, has a smaller bill, and lacks the blue wing patch.
  • Male Northern Shoveler has a similar wing pattern, but is larger, has a white chest, reddish flanks, and a huge bill.
  • Female Greater and Lesser scaup have white patches at the base of their bills, but not in a thin crescent across a gray-blue face. They lack a white flank patch.