Bird Guide

Red-billed Teal vs White-cheeked Pintail

Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha)

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Large559 gWetland

The red-billed teal is 43–48 cm (17–19 in) long and has a blackish cap and nape, contrasting pale face, and bright red bill. The body plumage is a dull dark brown scalloped with white. Flight reveals that the secondary flight feathers are buff with a black stripe across them. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults. This is a quiet species, but the displaying male has a whzzt call, whereas the female has a soft mallard-like quack. The red-billed teal is a bird of freshwater habitats in fairly open country and is an omnivore.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: dune_ninja · CC0
White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis)

White-cheeked Pintail

Anas bahamensis

Large490 gWetland

Like many southern ducks, the sexes are similar, though females are slightly smaller and duller in plumage. It is mainly brown with white cheeks and a red-based grey bill; juveniles have duller bill. The wing has an iridescent green speculum. Like the other pintails, it has a slender, acutely pointed tail, though not so marked as in the northern pintail A. acuta. It cannot be confused with any other duck in its range.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Andrew Katsis · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Red-billed Teal and White-cheeked Pintail.