Home, near and far.
This species breeds across the northern U.S., Canada, and Alaska, and throughout temperate Eurosiberia. It winters across the southern half of the U.S., Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, eastern Africa, and southern Asia.
Birds Heard
FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
Ducks, Swans, and Geese
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca
The Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America, known for its agile flight and compact size. These widespread ducks are often found in shallow wetlands, where they feed by tipping up or dabbling at the surface. They are a common sight across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
MigratorySmall sizeWhistling voiceOmnivorous diet
- Length
- 31-38 cm
- Wingspan
- 53-59 cm
- Weight
- 220-400 g
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
You’ll know it
when you see it.
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
- 01
Male (breeding)
Chestnut head with an iridescent green crescent extending from eye to nape, gray body, and a vertical white stripe on the side.
- 02
Female
Mottled brown overall with a dark streak through the eye and a small, dark bill.
- 03
Both sexes in flight
Flash a distinctive iridescent green speculum (wing patch) on the secondary feathers.
- 04
Juvenile
Resembles the female, but with a whiter belly in males.
02 / A place in the world
Where life
takes it.
Green-winged Teals favor shallow freshwater lakes and marshes during summer. In migration and winter, they can be found in coastal estuaries, tidal marshes, and shallow inland ponds, often preferring areas with abundant vegetation. They also utilize flooded agricultural fields.
Stay a while. Or follow the season.
Most Green-winged Teals are migratory, moving south from October to December and returning north in early spring. A non-migratory subspecies exists in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Some individuals may switch wintering sites in different years.
03 / Listen a little closer
A voice
of its own.
Females produce a shrill, weak quack. Courting males emit a sharp, non-ducklike whistle.
04 / The life behind the feathers
A day in its world.
On the menu.
Their diet is varied, consisting mainly of seeds from grasses, sedges, and pondweeds. They also consume aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and tadpoles, with a higher proportion of animal matter in summer.
As dabbling ducks, they forage by tipping up in shallow water or by dabbling their bills at the surface of water or mud. They have comb-like structures on their bills to filter small invertebrates.
A place to begin.
Nests are typically depressions on the ground, well-hidden in dense grass or brush, sometimes up to a mile from water. The female lines the nest with plant material and down. Clutches usually contain 6-11 eggs.
The little routines.
Outside the breeding season, Green-winged Teals are highly gregarious, forming large flocks. Males perform animated courtship displays, including rearing up and rapid bill shaking while whistling.
One more reason to pay attention
A familiar face.
A few surprises.
The Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America.
They are second only to Mallards in the number harvested annually by hunters in North America.
The oldest known Green-winged Teal lived to be at least 20 years and 3 months old.
Behind these field notesResearch & references · 12 sources
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.