Bird Gallery Index

Blue-winged Teals (female & male)image © Helen Baines

Family: (Anatidae) Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Preferred Habitat: Lakes and marshes.

Seasonal Occurrence: Common fall through spring. Uncommon in summer. Occasionally breeds in our area.

Notes: Blue-winged Teals are one of our more common ducks. They are considered to be one of the first ducks to arrive in the fall and among the last to leave. Females (the duck on the left) lack the bold facial pattern. In early fall males resemble females, with adult males usually acquiring their breeding plumage by mid-November. Blue-winged Teals prefer to forage in shallow bodies of water. They tend to be less skittish than many duck and, if not threatened, allow close approach.
- Susan Billetdeaux