The head is chestnut-brown with a green ear patch, the bill is dark gray, and the legs and feet are olive-gray. Habitat. This is the American Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca carolinensis. Instead it is most abundant in river deltas and forest wetlands of Canada and Alaska, where it nests in dense cover, often in shrubs or sedges. The most common waterfowl species are American wigeon, canvasbacks, gadwalls, American green-winged teal, scaup, buffleheads, northern pintails, mallards, and Canada geese. Diet includes seeds, insects and grasses. Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The little Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America. The speculum is flashy green bordered with brown above and white below. But hunters who want to consistently shoot teal employ strategies to the specific teal species in the area. They not only migrate earlier than other waterfowl species-including the more cold-tolerant green-winged teal-they also journey faster and farther from their breeding grounds. The Green-winged Teal is the smallest member of the teal family and one of the smallest ducks seen North America. Habitat The Green-winged Teal lives near marshes and lakes with forested areas nearby. It also is one of the most harvested ducks in Oregon. The Green-winged Teal is the smallest member of the teal family and one of the smallest ducks seen North America. The migration habits of blue-winged teal set them apart from other North American waterfowl. The wigeon eat the plants that float to the surface. In addition to the white spot at the base of the bill (noted above), it has a dark (not white) belly, there is a blue wing patch in front of the green, and the undertail coverts are darker and more heavily spotted. Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. Climate threats facing the Green-winged Teal. A fan of the hard work beavers do, the green-wing will often occupy beaver ponds and flowages for breeding and brood rearing, but can also be found in … Green-winged Teal: This small dabbling duck has pale, gray-barred sides and a buff breast with a white bar down the side. This guide will help you recognize birds on the wing—it emphasizes their fall and winter plumage patterns as well as size, shape, and flight characteristics. The Green-winged Teal (known as Common Teal in English-speaking parts of Eurasia) is currently considered a single species by the AOU, but two subspecies are distinctive in adult male plumage and are split into two species by many authorities. American wigeon commonly swim near various types of diving ducks as they forage below and dislodge aquatic plants. Green-winged Teal are unlike most dabblers in North America in that they prefer wooded ponds to prairie potholes. The bright white often overpowers the more subtle tones of this little beauty. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too. Unlike many of this continent's other dabblers, this one does not breed extensively in the prairie pothole region of the central continent. The vertical white bar on the shoulder makes this guy easy to identify from a distance, and distinguishes him from his cousin, the Common Teal, who has a less prominent white horizontal bar just below the scapulars. The migration habits of blue-winged teal set them apart from other North American waterfowl. Features: In breeding plumage, green-winged drakes have a cinnamon-colored head with a green eye-stripe, gray back, flanks, and a bright patch of iridescent green on the rear of the wing (speculum). Blue-winged teal, green-winged teal and cinnamon teal are related, but their habits and habitat differ widely. Green-winged Teal are unlike most dabblers in North America in that they prefer wooded ponds to prairie potholes. Climate threats facing the Green-winged Teal. What it looks like: Green-winged Teal is our smallest North American duck species with a length of only 14 inches. by Nick Bonomo As the calendar turns to March we will notice a drastic increase in the number and diversity of migrant dabbling ducks in our wetlands, including this tiny species.