Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusSpatula (Shovelers and Allies)
- SpeciesSpatula discors (Blue-winged Teal)
About the Blue-winged Teal
The blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) is a species of bird in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. One of the smaller members of the dabbling duck group, it occurs in North America, where it breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia, and south to northern Texas. It winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and south into the Caribbean islands and Central America.
The first formal description of the blue-winged teal was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae. He coined the binomial name Anas discors. A molecular phylogentic study comparing mitochondrial DNA sequences published in 2009 found that the genus Anas, as then defined, was non-monophyletic. The genus was subsequently split into four monophyletic genera with ten species including the blue-winged teal moved into the resurrected genus Spatula. This genus had been originally proposed by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1822. The name Spatula is the Latin for a "spoon" or "spatula". The specific epithet discors is the Latin for "different" or "at variance".
The blue-winged teal is 40 cm (16 in) long, with a wingspan of 58 cm... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Blue-winged Teal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Common Teal
Anas crecca
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
Barrow's Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blue-winged Teal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Teal sighting in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blue-winged Teal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Blue-winged Teal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in our monthly data.