Blue-winged Teal--Anas discors

Male Blue-winged Teal

With a North American population of 6.6 million for 2008, the Blue-winged Teal population is moving in the right direction. Teals are ducks who are smaller than the average. Other teals in Orange County include the Cinnamon Teals and Green-winged Teals. Blue-winged Teals have been known to hybridize with Cinnamon Teals, and Northern Shovelers. Blue-winged Teals prefer shallow water and can be found at Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, and other similar Orange County environments.

Male and female Blue-winged Teal.

Blue-winged Teals have the diagnostic vertical crescent on each side of the face just behind the bill. The blue patch for which they are named is on the shoulder and only visible if they stretch out their wings or fly. Both male and female are finely patterned with a brownish color over most of their body. Females look very similar to the female Cinnamon Teals and have a broken white eye-ring and white at the base of the bill and otherwise are brown. They can be found from Alaska to South America. Like all teals, it is a dabbling duck. It inhabits ponds and wetlands eating aquatic plants and seeds, and aquatic invertebrates.

Interesting view of double-crescents from the front.

The Blue-winged teal winters in Orange County and areas south. It breeds in Canada and Alaska and the Midwest.




Male Blue-winged Teal. Notice the white spot by the tail.

Blue-winged Teals can be found hanging out with other ducks at wetlands and ponds. Usually you will see mixed flocks of Cinnamon Teals, Green-winged Teals, Northern Pintails, Scaups, and Mallards. You won't see them at community parks. These are wilder ducks.




Blue-winged teal drake and dabbling Blue-winged hen.

When you are out birding in the fall and winter, and even the very beginning of spring, look for the Blue-winged Teal.











OC Birder Girl Links





Wild Ducks of Orange County






American Wigeon






Cinnamon Teal--Anas cyanoptera







Green-winged Teal--Anas crecca







Mallards







Northern Pintails







Northern Shovelers







Odd Ducks












Taking a rest on the shore.










External Links and Resources





All About Birds: Blue-winged Teal

Detailed page about Blue-winged Teals.






Animal Diversity Web: Blue-winged Teal


Very Detailed page about Blue-winged Teals.








Ducks Unlimited: Blue-Winged Teal



Information about the Blue-winged Teal.






HYBRID OF BLUE-WINGED TEAL x SHOVELLER IN NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA by
FRANK A. HALL and STANLEY W. HARRIS

Journal article on a hybrid Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler.

Internet Bird Collection: Blue-winged Teal

Great site. Very good videos. Check out the high quality videos at the IBC. Seeing the bird in action really helps a birder identify the species in the field.

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: Blue-winged Teal

Photos of the Blue-winged Teal

US Geological Survey: Blue-winged Teal

Short article with pictures.

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The Wild Ducks of Orange County

DABBLING DUCKS (AKA Puddle Ducks)

American Wigeons at Huntington Central Park having a whistling contest.

Eurasian Wigeon at Huntington Central Park. This is a rare bird, but is regulary seen around Orange County in the fall and winter.

Blue-winged Teals at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Cinnamon Teals at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Mallards--Huntington Central Park

Northern Pintails at Newport Back Bay

Female and Male Northern Shovelers at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Male Northern Shoveler at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Female Northern Shoveler at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Male and female Green-winged Teal at Newport Back Bay

Male Green-winged Teal--Newport Back Bay

PERCHING DUCKS

Male Wood Duck--Aix sponsa at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, California

Female Wood Duck--Aix sponsa at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, California

Male Mandarin Duck (Exotic--non-native Asian species--most are escapees) at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Seen from time to time in Orange County, CA.









Female Mandarin Duck (exotic Asian species--non-native--most are escapees) at Huntington Central Park

DIVING DUCKS

Male Bufflehead Duck at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Female Bufflehead Duck at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Male Ruddy Duck Foreground non-breeding plumage at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Male Ruddy Duck in almost full breeding plumage. Just a little black still on the tip of the otherwise bright, blue bill.

Female Ruddy Duck at at Mason Regional Park swimming with her tail down.

Male Surf Scoter at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Female Surf Scoter at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

White-winged Scoter--female looks like the Surf Scoter female with less clearly defined white patches. This is a rare bird for Orange County. Photo taken at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve .

Male and female Redhead--Aythya americana at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Canvasback Ducks Photo Courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Photographer Donna Dewhurst.

Male and Female Lesser Scaups at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Male Ring-necked Duck Photo Courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Photographer--Lee Karney.












Ring-necked Duck Courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Photographer Dave Menke.

Red-breasted Merganser at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Here is a male Hooded Merganser courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service photographer Tim McCabe. The Hooded Merganser is a rare bird for this area but turns up regularly in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, and ponds. Places like Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, and Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, and several of the Regional Parks.


Here is a female Hooded Merganser courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service photographer Glen Smart. Again, a rare bird that turns up on a regular basis.


So when you are out birding in fall, winter, and early spring keep your binoculars and camera ready to spot some great wild ducks in Orange County! Check out the links below for more on ducks and places to go bird watching to see ducks. We have lots of birding hot spots in Orange County where you can see wild ducks.






OC Birder Girl Links







Odd Ducks



Strange-looking ducks and duck-like birds you might see in Orange County.












Birding Hot Spots in Orange County, California



Orange County, California has many great birding places including wonderful parks, nature centers, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and a national forest.




















Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Great place to see wild ducks or do any kind of birding. You can see more of the wilder variety here like Northern Pintails, Buffleheads, Scaups, Mergansers, and Scoters as well as Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, and Northern Shovelers.













Central Park in Huntington Beach
Another birding hot spot. Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, Mallards, and Northern Shovelers.













Mason Regional Park



Lots of surprises here as far as birding. You never know what you might find. Mostly Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, and Mallards though.











San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary



Wilder fresh water ducks and the more common ones, too. Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, Pintails, Buffleheads, and Northern Shovelers.







Tewinkle Park -- Costa Mesa

Mostly the usual park fair with a few occasional surprises.

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