Blue-Winged Teal (Spatula discors) lives in wet grasslands across North America. It feeds on insects & seeds. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Blue-Winged Teal
- Blue-winged teal sometimes nest as far as 1.61 km from open water, although most nests are placed within several hundred yards of a pond or marsh. They build their nests on dry ground in grassy sites such as bluegrass meadows, hayfields and sedge meadows, taking advantage of short or sparse vegetation. When suitable habitat is abundant they will even nest communally, forming clusters of nests across the landscape.
- In the mixed-grass prairies of the Dakotas and the prairie provinces of Canada the blue-winged teal is the most abundant duck, outnumbering all other species in those grassland wetlands. The bird is primarily found across the northern prairies and parklands, but its range also extends into boreal forest wetlands, short-grass and tall-grass prairies, and deciduous woodlands. This broad habitat use helps sustain its large populations throughout the region.
- Blue-winged teal are the first ducks to head south in autumn and the last to return north in spring, making them the earliest fall migrants and the latest spring arrivals among waterfowl. Adult drakes leave the breeding grounds well before the hens and immature birds, so flocks seen after mid-September are dominated by adult females and young birds. This staggered departure and return pattern gives the species a distinctive migration timetable.
- One-fourth of the food consumed by blue-winged teal is animal matter such as mollusks, crustaceans, and insects, while the bulk of their diet is plant material. They mainly eat plants, though their diet may also include molluscs and aquatic insects, giving them a mixed feeding strategy.
- Blue-winged teal ducklings can walk to water within 12 hours after hatching but do not fledge until 6 to 7 weeks. They are surface feeders that prefer mud flats, fields or shallow water rich in floating vegetation and small aquatic animals.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeNorth America
HabitatWet grasslands
DietInsects & seeds
About the Blue-Winged Teal
As the sun rises over the wetlands, the Blue-Winged Teal emerges, its iridescent feathers glistening like polished jewels as it glides effortlessly across the calm waters, its slender neck and legs slicing through the reeds with a quiet elegance. With a flick of its vibrant blue wing, it takes to the skies, joining the murmuration of its kin in a whirlwind of color and movement, their soft quacks weaving a soothing melody that fills the morning air. In this serene and idyllic world, the Blue-Winged Teal reigns supreme, a master of subtle beauty and understated charm.
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