Blue-Winged Teal
Spatula discors
Also known as: Duck-And-Teal, Teal
About This Species
A dabbling duck of shallow marshes, ponds, and flooded fields, most easily recognized by the pale blue forewing patch visible in flight and, in breeding males, a white crescent in front of the eye. It is one of the earliest ducks to head south in autumn and one of the latest to arrive in spring, so fall migration from August through September is often the best window to see concentrations on prairie potholes and coastal wetlands. Look for small, tight flocks feeding at the water's surface or tipping up in shallows rather than diving.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Viewing from a blind, vehicle, or the opposite shore of a wetland keeps disturbance low, since flushed waterfowl burn energy they need for migration and may abandon a feeding site altogether.
- In the US and Canada it falls under migratory bird treaty protections, and hunting regulations elsewhere in its range add seasonal restrictions on approach and take; outside a licensed hunting context, keeping well back and using a scope rather than walking closer is the safer default.
- Avoiding sudden movement or noise near roosting flocks, especially in cold weather when energy reserves matter most, helps limit stress.
LCAvesAnseriformesAnatidae
Seasonal Activity
2,890,493 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.