Anas crecca
The Green-winged Teal, a diminutive and agile dabbling duck, is North America's smallest waterfowl species, typically measuring around 35 cm (14 inches) in length with a wingspan of approximately 59 cm (23 inches) and weighing about 350 grams (12 oz). Males in breeding plumage are strikingly handsome, featuring a chestnut head adorned with an iridescent green patch extending from the eye to the nape, outlined by a thin white stripe. Their body is largely gray, contrasting with a horizontal wh...
This species primarily inhabits shallow freshwater wetlands, including marshes, bogs, ponds, and slow-moving rivers, often preferring areas with dense emergent vegetation for cover and feeding. They are typically found in low-elevation aquatic environments.
Their diet primarily consists of seeds from aquatic plants, small aquatic invertebrates (such as insects and their larvae), and some submerged vegetation, which they obtain by dabbling in shallow waters.
Green-winged Teals are highly social outside the breeding season, forming large, often mixed-species flocks that roost communally on open water or sheltered banks. They are active diurnal feeders, employing a classic dabbling strategy: tipping forward to submerge their heads and necks to filter f...
The Green-winged Teal boasts a wide distribution across North America. Its primary breeding grounds span the boreal forests and prairie potholes of Alaska, Canada, and the northern tier of the United States, extending south to parts of the Great Lakes region and New England. In winter, population...
Least Concern
- The Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America, often appearing as a 'miniature duck. - The 'green-wing' in their name refers to the iridescent green speculum, a secondary feather patch visible on their wings, which is a key identification feature. - Males undergo an 'ecli...