Minnesota Seasons - Blue-winged Teal

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy


Conservation Status
IUCN Red List	LC - Least Concern
NatureServe	N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding
Minnesota	not listed

Photo by Greg Watson

Description

Size

14″ to 16″ in length

23″ wingspan

Voice

Similar Species

Habitat

Shallow lake edges, ponds, and wetlands

Ecology

Migration

April to September

Nesting

Food

Distribution

Occurrence

Common migrant and breeder

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map


Taxonomy
Class	Aves (birds)
Order	Anseriformes (waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans)
Subfamily	Anatinae (dabbling ducks)
Genus	Spatula (shovelers and allies)

This species was originally placed in the genus Anas. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2009 showed that the genus contained members with different evolutionary ancestors – it was polyphyletic. The genus was split into four new genera. This species and nine others were placed in the resurrected genus Spatula.

Subordinate Taxa
The eastern population has been treated as a subspecies, Anas discors orphna, but that separation is not been widely accepted. There are currently no recognized supspecies.

Synonyms
Anas discors Anas discors discors Anas discors orphana Querquedula discors


Visitor Photos

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Greg Watson

Blue-winged Teal


Dan W. Andree
Green-winged Drake and a pair of Blue-winged Teal... The little green-winged was drying off and the pair of blue-winged wandered over. I cropped this image off 4k video I took of them that day. The little green-winged almost looks like it has a green eye mask on. Green-winged teal have become one of my favorite little ducks. Glad some showed up in an area I happened to be out in. Particularly since I had never seen a green-winged in the wild before.


Spring Arrivals They eventually all flew off together.		Blue-winged Teals... Blue-winged certainly fits their description.


Ramona Abrego


Bill Reynolds


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera

Slideshows

Blue-winged Teal
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Blue-winged Teal
JMC Nature Photos

Blue-winged Teal
Joshua Mayer

About

Spatula discors

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

Blue-winged Teal (Anatidae: Spatula discors) Male and Female
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on May 13, 2010

Photographed at the Kellys Slough NWR, North Dakota (13 May 2010).

Male Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
Kevin Cavallin

About

Uploaded on Apr 17, 2011

I got lucky today and saw a few different species of ducks

Blue-winged Teal
Karen Hogan

About

Published on Dec 15, 2013

Blue-winged Teal at Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge 3-28-13. Video 5686

Blue-winged Teal
Janelle Streed

About

Uploaded on Nov 15, 2011

Wild Blue-winged Teal (male and female) on a slew in Minnesota. May 2011 Blessings

Blue-winged Teal
Philip Parsons

About

Published on Nov 11, 2013

Blue-winged Teal, drake, filmed at Wellington gravel pits, New workings, Herefordshire, England on Sunday 10th November 2013. Filmed using high magnification.Best viewed using 1080p HD or 720p HD!

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

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Greg Watson
5/15/2023

Location: Wagon Wheel Trail in La Crescent, MN.

Blue-winged Teal

Dan W. Andree
5/4/2023

Location: at a wetland in Norman co. Mn

The little green-winged was drying off and the pair of blue-winged wandered over. I cropped this image off 4k video I took of them that day.

The little green-winged almost looks like it has a green eye mask on. Green-winged teal have become one of my favorite little ducks. Glad some showed up in an area I happened to be out in. Particularly since I had never seen a green-winged in the wild before.