A small, common, widespread duck. The male has a chestnut head, pinkish chest, pale gray sides, and a green ear patch. The female is similar to the Blue-winged Teal female, but has a smaller head and bill. Both male and female have an iridescent green patch on their wings. Green-winged Teals travel in large flocks of tight formation and at very high speeds, twisting and turning with miraculous precision. They are a noisy species. They breed in northern Alaska, Canada, and the northwest section of the U.S. and winter in the southern states and along the coast. A hardy species, they are among the last ducks to leave their winter habitat in the fall and the first to depart in the spring.
Wetland
In North America, Green-Winged Teals are found in northern Canada and Alaska down to the Dakotas, across the upper half of Michigan and over to Maine during breeding season. During migration, they inhabit the United States from the east coast near New York and Maryland west through Ohio and Kentucky over to South Dakota and Nebraska. Their winter range stretches from Virginia to California and all the way south to the Yucatan Peninsula and the Caribbean Islands.
Abundant
Diurnal
Aquatic vegetation and seeds
The Green-winged teal forages by wading or swimming in very shallow water while filtering mud with bill, up-ending, or picking items from water's surface and feed by night or day. Most of the year they are found in large traveling groups. They are considered nomadic especially in first year juveniles. In groups, individuals communicate in several ways. Sounds threats, chasing and even fights occur by poking each other with their bills and hitting each other with their wings.
Least Concern
