Smallest of the dabbling ducks, the Green-winged Teal flies in zig-zagging flocks that give it the appearance of flying much faster than it actually does.
The male Wigeon, aka Baldpate due to its white crown, is most easily identified by its white shoulder patches which are visible in flight. Professor Duck’s favorite!
The Blue-winged Teal has beautiful sky-blue shoulder patches, which are visible in flight. They migrate early in the fall to head for their wintering areas in Central and South America.
The Cinnamon Teal is seldom seen east of the Mississippi River. Its wings are identical to the Blue-winged, with the blue shoulder patches. The body and head of the adult male is cinnamon-red.
Like the other Whistling-Duck, this species occurs mostly in the southern U.S., but tends to wander frequently. They have been spotted in the northern U.S. and even in southern Canada.
Like the Black Duck, male and female Mottled Ducks are quite similar in appearance. They are mainly confined to the Florida peninsula and the western Gulf Coast.
The long neck and tail plus blade-like wings give the Pintail a streamline look. Because of this, they appear as large as the Mallard, although on average they weigh about a half-pound less.
The Shoveler looks like it was put together with spare parts from Mallards and Blue-winged Teal! It’s most notable characteristic is its over-sized, spoon-shaped bill.
