The green-winged teal is found throughout most of North America, Europe, and northern Asia. This abundant species lives in many habitats including coasts, meadows, fields, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, lakes, ponds, forests and tundra.
The life of a green-winged teal
Green-winged teals grow 12 to 16 inches long, weigh 11 to 13 ounces and live up to 20 years in the wild. They are the smallest species of dabbling duck.
In North America, they breed in the northern U.S. and Canada, and winter in the southern U.S. and Mexico. They are omnivores that eat aquatic plants and grasses, aquatic insects, tadpoles, mollusks and crustaceans. They feed on the surface of water, dabbling and tipping just below water to reach aquatic vegetation. They also feed on mudflats and during the fall will eat berries, grapes and acorns.
Females lay an average of eight to nine eggs at a time. Only females sit on the eggs until hatching; males abandon the nest after the eggs are laid. Females handle all parenting duties until their offspring become independent after a few weeks.
Predators include birds of prey and mammals like foxes, skunks and raccoons. Humans also pose a threat since green-winged teals are popular with hunters.
Green-winged teals at the zoo
Located in the Cascade Stream and Pond area.
