Blue-winged Teal

General Description

Blue-winged Teal are small dabblers with long bodies and bills. Males in breeding plumage have russet-colored bodies with small, dark spots, black undertail coverts, and white patches on their flanks. Their heads are dark blue-gray with a distinctive white crescent in front of each eye. Males are in non-breeding or eclipse plumage from July to October, during which time they look like females and can easily be confused with Cinnamon Teal in the same plumage. Juveniles and females are mottled brown with a dark bill and yellowish legs. Both males and females have green-black speculums, with pale blue patches on the forewing.

Blue-winged Teals are Fairly Common in Western Washington from May-Late September.

Habitat

Blue-winged Teal inhabit shallow wetlands with emergent vegetation. Their breeding habitat is usually open-country wetlands. During migration they are sometimes found over the ocean, many miles from shore.

Behavior

Fast and agile flyers, Blue-winged Teal are often seen in small flocks, twisting and turning as a single unit. When foraging they usually stick to very shallow water, plucking food items from the surface and swimming with their heads partially submerged. They do not tend to up-end or feed out of the water.

Male Eclipse 

Male and Female in flight