Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Genus: Anas Species: discors
Binomial name
Anas discors

Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors is a small dabbling duck.

The adult male has a greyish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult female is mottled brown. Both sexes have a blue wing patch. In flight, they flap their wings especially rapidly.

Their breeding habitat is marshes and ponds throughout north and central North America.

They are migratory and most winter in Central and South America. They are occasional vagrants to Europe, where their yellow legs are a distinction from other small ducks like Common Teal and Garganey.

These birds feed by dabbling. They mainly eat plants; their diet may include molluscs and aquatic insects.