Green-winged Teal

The Green-winged Teal is a diminutive, highly active dabbling duck. It is widely distributed across North America and Eurasia, often congregating in large, dense flocks. Despite their tiny size—hardly larger than a pigeon—they are robust survivors, utilizing a vast range of wetland habitats from the subarctic tundra to coastal estuaries. Observers are often struck by their incredibly fast, coordinated flight style, twisting and turning in unison like a flock of shorebirds.

Identifying the Green-winged Teal is highly straightforward when observing breeding males, though females require a closer look at size and subtle markings.

Male (Breeding Plumage)

• Head: Rich chestnut-brown head with a broad, iridescent green stripe extending from the eye to the back of the neck, bordered by a thin, pale-yellow line.
• Body: Primarily grayish overall, with finely vermiculated gray flanks and back.
• Chest: Pinkish-buff breast flecked with dark spots.
• Shoulder: A prominent vertical white stripe on the side of the breast (in the North American subspecies, Anas crecca carolinensis).
• Undertail: Brilliant yellow-buff undertail coverts framed sharply in black.

Female

• Plumage: Cryptic, mottled brown overall with a dark line running through the eye.
• Bill: Solid dark gray, occasionally with small pinkish-orange spots at the base.
• Size: Noticeably smaller than almost all other dabbling ducks, which serves as a highly reliable field mark even at a distance.

Flight & In-Hand Marks

Both sexes possess a brilliant, iridescent green speculum (trailing wing patch) bordered by buff on the leading edge and white on the trailing edge. In flight, they show a slender silhouette, dark undersides of the wings, and rapid, deep wingbeats.

Green-winged Teals utilize shallow, freshwater environments more than almost any other duck.

• Breeding Season: They nest near boreal forest wetlands, brushy tundra, prairie potholes, and shallow marshes. They prefer areas with dense emergent vegetation for nesting cover.
• Winter & Migration: During migration and winter, they transition to shallow inland lakes, flooded agricultural fields, tidal mudflats, and coastal estuaries. Because of their short bills, they prefer water depths of less than six inches.
• Geographic Range: They breed across northern North America, from Alaska across Canada to the Great Lakes and Newfoundland. They winter throughout southern North America, the Caribbean, and Central America. A closely related or conspecific population (the Eurasian Common Teal) occupies similar latitudes across Europe and Asia.

Feeding Behavior

Unlike larger ducks, Green-winged Teals are highly efficient filters. They feed primarily by wading in shallow water or swimming with their heads submerged, filtering mud for tiny aquatic invertebrates, midge larvae, seeds, and agricultural grains. They rarely dive, preferring to dabble or tip up in shallows.

Vocalizations

They are among the most vocal of waterfowl, especially during the winter and spring courtship periods:

• Males: Produce a clear, short, high-pitched whistle (preep-preep).
• Females: Utter a high, sharp, but relatively quiet, decrescendo quack, much higher pitched than a Mallard's.

Nesting & Reproduction

The nest is a shallow scrape on dry ground, often far from water, concealed under dense brush, tall grasses, or logs. The female lines it with down and grass, laying 6 to 10 pale buff or cream-colored eggs. The chicks are precocial and leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching, led by the female to the nearest rich marsh for foraging.