Waterfowl Identification

Green-Winged Teal

Identification Tips:
Length: 10.5 inches Wingspan: 24 inches
Very small, short-necked, and small-billed dabbling duck
Green speculum
Whitish belly
Juvenile similar to adult female

Adult male alternate:
Alternate plumage worn from Fall through early summer
Dark bill
Rich rust-colored head
Iridescent green face patch sweeping through eye and tapering to the back of head
Buff chest with dark spotting
Gray flanks and back
Vertical white line at fore part of flanks
Horizontal black line above flanks
Buff outer undertail coverts bordered by black
Black central undertail coverts

Adult male basic:
Similar to adult female, but with duller face pattern

Adult female:
Dark gray bill
Pale brown head and neck
Dark brown cap and eye line
Dark brown back and upperwing coverts scalloped with buff
White breast spotted with brown
White belly

Similar species: Adult male unmistakable in winter. Females, immature and eclipse males similar to most female ducks, but are very small, short-billed, and have a distinctive wing pattern that is sometimes visible at rest.

Quite hardy - some birds stay as far north as open water is found. The smallest and one of the most common of our ducks. Their tiny size gives the impression of great speed, but mallards can fly faster. Their flight is often low, erratic, with the entire flock twisting and turning as one unit.

They nest as far north as Alaska, and migrate in all four flyways. Early fall drakes are usually still in full eclipse plumage. Drakes whistle and twitter; hens have a slight quack.