Page 50 - September/October Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

THE GREEN-WINGED TEAL

WATCHABLE WILDLIFE • BY DANAE DAVENPORT, EDUCATION INTERN

The American green-winged teal (Anas car- noise, while the hens quack. Green-winged
olinensis) is the smallest species of dabbling teal are recognizable in flight by their small
duck native to North America. Dabbling ducks bodies, short necks, and iridescent green
are characterized by their methods of feeding wing patches.
from the surface of the water rather than diving. Green-winged teal nest from Alaska and
They are separated from the nearly identical Canada to the northern midwestern United
Eurasian green-winged teal (Anas crecca) by States. The hens build nests by filling a shallow
their breeding grounds and migration patterns, depression with grasses, twigs, and leaves,
which are limited to North America. lining it with down. Nesting sites are among
The American green-winged teal prefers shal- tall grasses and weeds of meadows or in open
low, permanent marshes and other watery plac- woodland or brush, where they can be well
es where aquatic hidden. The nests are usually within 200 feet of
vegetation is near water. The hen will lay six to 10 eggs and will
the surface and incubate them for 20-24 days until they hatch.
They have a large easily accessible, The drake will leave the hen after incubation.

wintering range, having as opposed to After the eggs hatch, the ducklings will stay
open water sys- with the hen and follow her around, although
been found as far north as tems. They have they find their own food. After about 35 days,
a large wintering the young are fully fledged and can fly off to
Alaska and Newfoundland range, having exist on their own.
Green-winged teal have many predators,
and as far south as been found as far including people; these teal are the sec-
north as Alaska
northern South America. and Newfound- ond-most commonly hunted duck after mal-
land and as far lards. Raccoons, skunks, and red foxes are
south as northern among other predators that prey on nests and
South America. the ducklings. Their defense from ground pred-
Their migration takes them through the center ators is their ability to take off into flight quickly
of the United States, so they are most abundant or to run. When on the water, they can either
through the Mississippi and Central flyways. dive for a short time or fly away.
They mainly feed on seeds, aquatic insects, mol- Blue-winged teal are often confused with
lusks, and crustaceans by wading or swimming green-winged teal. Blue-winged teal are rough-
in shallow water while filtering mud through their ly the same size as green-winged teal, but the
bill, up-ending, or picking things up from the blue-winged has a tell-tale light blue patch cov-
surface of shallow water. ering most of the inner wings. The male green-
The male, or drake, teal has a chestnut-color winged teal can have a white crescent shape in
head with an iridescent green to purple patch front of its eyes. The female blue-winged teal
extending from the eyes to the nape of the is a lighter brown than green-winged teal with
neck. They have a light brownish chest with black a similar patterned body.
speckles and vermiculated (wavy lined) gray In Oklahoma, waterfowl hunters are allowed
sides, back, and flanks. Their wings are a brown- a September teal season, when they can take
ish gray with a green patch on the trailing edge, green-winged, blue-winged, and cinnamon teal
from which they get the name “green-winged.” several weeks ahead of regular duck hunting
The females, or hens, are mottled brown seasons. While shooting teal is legal during
with a dark brown line from their bill to their regular duck seasons, the September season
eyes. Both drakes and hens have dark bills was created because teal are generally among
and feet. The drakes make a whistling “peep” the earliest ducks to migrate south in the fall.

48 OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA