Little Tidbits

·         Blue winged Teals usually fly in small, compact flocks of about 10 birds and their style (twisting and turning and rolling from side to side) is a style that is copied by stealth bombers and F-16 fighter planes

 Blue-winged Teal flying

·         The blue color on the feathers of a Blue winged teal is not due to pigment but an interaction of light with microscopic facets and planes of the feather. If in a light that is not reflective, the feathers would appear black or brown.

 Photograph below taken by Jack Bartholmai.

Photograph courtesy of Jack Bartholmai

·         A male has a call that is a loud high pitched whistle and the female has a lower, yet still loud quack. To hear a sample of what they sound like, follow this link:

                  Blue Winged Teal Sounds

·         If there is the chance that a young blue winged teal can survive the first few years and the migrations, it will have a chance at a lifespan of about 17 years.

·         The blue winged teal is rated as the second most copious waterfowl in North America. The Mallard is the first most abundant.

 

·         A blue winged teal carry the record of the longest distance for migrations, with a distance of about 6,000 miles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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