photo by Phil Swanson

Anas cyanoptera
L 16″(41 cm).

Song or calls:
Listen (NGPC audio)

Female, high quacking note. Courting male, a rattling note.

Description: Small duck. Bright cinnamon in color from October to June. Adult males have red-orange eyes. Female mottled brown. Both show blue wing patch on forewing in flight.

Habitat: Shallow ponds, ditches, and marshes. Rarely occur in deep water. Usually breeds in marshes surrounded by prairie and grassy meadows.

Where in Nebraska: Uncommon regular spring migrant in western and central portions of Nebraska. More rare in the east. Rare regular fall migrant. Locally uncommon regular breeder in western Nebraska

Field Notes: Field Notes: Known to interbreed with Blue-winged Teal. Breeds in alkali wetland areas such as Kiowa Springs and Facus Springs and on some western Sandhills lakes.

Fun Facts: When Cinnamon Teal females construct their nests they build them under dead vegetation and grasses so it is covered from all angles. As a result, to get to the nest the female uses tunnels to crawl toward the covered nest.

 
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