Blue-winged Teal

(Spatula discors)

Conservation Status
Blue-winged Teal
Photo by Bill Reynolds
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
 
Description
 
 

 

 
     
 

Size

 
 

14 to 16 in length

23 wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
   
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Shallow lake edges, ponds, and wetlands

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

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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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.

  Green-winged Teal  
           
 

Blue-winged Teals...

Blue-winged certainly fits their description.

  Blue-winged Teal  
           
 

Spring Arrivals

They eventually all flew off together.

  Blue-winged Teal  
 

Ramona Abrego

 
    Blue-winged Teal      
 

Bill Reynolds

 
    Blue-winged Teal      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

 

     
 
Slideshows
 
Blue-winged Teal
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
  Blue-winged Teal  
Blue-winged Teal
JMC Nature Photos
  Blue-winged Teal  
Blue-winged Teal
Joshua Mayer
  Blue-winged Teal  
 
About

Spatula discors

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this bird.

 
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Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
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
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 
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  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.

Green-winged Teal  
  Ramona Abrego

Location: Becker County

Blue-winged Teal  
  Dan W. Andree
5/3/2018

Location: rural Norman Co. Mn

They eventually all flew off together.

Blue-winged Teal  
  Bill Reynolds
5/16/2008

Agassiz WMA

Blue-winged Teal  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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