Bird Guide

Blue-winged Teal vs Northern Shoveler

Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

Large359 gWetland

The blue-winged teal is 40 cm (16 in) long, with a wingspan of 58 cm (23 in), and a weight of 370 g (13 oz). The adult male has a greyish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult female is mottled brown, and has a whitish area at base of bill. Both sexes have sky-blue wing coverts, a green speculum, and yellow legs. They have two molts per year and a third molt in their first year. The call of the male is a short whistle; the female's call is a soft quack.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: geosesarma · CC BY 4.0
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Large613 gWetland

This species is unmistakable in the Northern Hemisphere due to its large, spatulated bill. The breeding drake has an iridescent, dark green head, though less intensely iridescent than a drake mallard's head, and appears black at distance or in poor light, white breast, and chestnut belly and flanks, and a black or very dark grey bill. In flight, pale blue forewing feathers are revealed, separated from the green speculum by a white border. In early autumn, the male has a white crescent on each side of the face.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Alexis Lours · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler.