Blue-winged teal

Blue-winged teal photographed in Manitoba

The blue-winged teal is a small, quick duck, and it is one of the last to arrive in spring and one of the first to leave. Flocks twist and turn low over the water, flashing the pale blue patch on the wing. The drake has a white crescent on his face that makes him easy to recognize.

Teal nest in the grass near shallow prairie wetlands, and the female hides the nest well under a canopy of grass. They feed by dabbling in the shallows for seeds and small invertebrates. They are among the longest-distance migrants of the dabbling ducks, and some travel all the way to northern South America for the winter.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the blue-winged teal page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Blue-winged teal flying low over bright blue water
  • Blue-winged teal swimming in a pond among reeds
  • Pair of blue-winged teal swimming on a calm pond
  • Male blue-winged teal with a white face crescent swimming beside a female
  • Blue-winged teal swimming with its reflection on dark water
  • Male blue-winged teal preening on calm water
  • Male blue-winged teal standing on a log among reeds, white crescent on its face
  • Blue-winged teal standing in marsh reeds with blue wing patch showing
  • Blue-winged teal hen with ducklings resting on green grass beside a marsh

Blue-winged teal Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the blue-winged teal in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the blue-winged teal nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the blue-winged teal in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

Follow new photos

New work is shared on Facebook and Bluesky first.

Follow on FacebookFollow on Bluesky