Female Blue-winged Teals (Male vs Female Identification)

Blue-winged teals are long-distance migratory birds, breeding in Canada and the northern United States, and wintering as far south as Brazil and Peru. One of the smallest teals in North America, the female blue-winged teal has plumage similar to that of other small brown waterfowl, including the cinnamon and green-winged teal.

To learn more about the key identifying marks and behavioral traits of female blue-winged teals, read on.

During most of the year, female blue-winged teals are not easily confused with male blue-winged teals. Females are mostly brown with marbled bodies and lack the gray-blue head and white facial crescent of males.

There are many differences in behavior between the sexes, with the female taking the dominant role in nest site selection, hatching, and rearing of the young, as during incubation the male has left for the late-summer molting grounds.

Our complete guide to female blue-winged teals highlights the key differences in behavior and appearance between males and females of this species.

After reading the information below, you should be able to confidently identify female blue-winged teals when they coexist with similar birds. So keep scrolling to learn what to look out for.

Close up of a female blue-winged teal duck in flight

How do you know if a blue-winged blue duck is a male or a female?

During most of the year, it is easy to tell the difference between female and male blue-winged teals. Males (drakes) have a greyish-purple head with a broad white band running vertically along their beaks. In contrast, females (hens) are much duller in appearance, with a taupe head and mottled brown body.

Both males and hens have a large bluish blotch on the forewings, but in males it is more vividly colored and has a white band.

Male blue-winged teals have a white patch on the flanks and a black tail, while females are medium brown all over, with spots on the breast, sides, and back. Both male and female blue-winged teals have orange-yellow legs and dark bills, with the males being longer than the females.

When males molt post-breeding, they temporarily become similar in appearance to females, losing their distinctive blue-gray head and prominent white facial band.

female blue-winged teal duck

male blue-winged blue duck

What does a female blue-winged teal look like?

The female blue-winged teal is a smaller teal with marbled brown plumage and distinct patterns on the sides. Their heads are paler than their bodies: predominantly grey-brown, with a distinct darker horizontal line over the eyes and a whitish ring around the eyes. At the bottom of their bill is a small white feather.

In flight, a large dull sky-blue patch can be seen on the upper part of their forewings, while their underwings are white. Like the male, the female blue-winged teal has orange-yellow legs and feet and a dark gray-black beak.

Female blue-winged teal entering into the water

size difference

Blue-winged teals are one of the smallest species of teals, with females being slightly smaller and lighter than males.

Individual measurements are not broken down by sex, but females are usually at the lower end of the species size range in weight (280g to 499g/0.6lb to 1.1lb), length (36cm to 41cm/14in to 16in) and wingspan (56cm to 62cm/22in to 24in).

Incubating females typically lose weight significantly while brooding.

Drake or male blue-winged duck (left) and hen or female blue-winged pair

behavioral difference

At the start of the breeding season, males in flocks will chase solitary female blue-winged teals. Males chase females, performing courtship rituals in flight and then over water.

Females may actively mate, but may also be pursued by unmated males and will attempt to evade any such attempts by diving into deep water.

Migration behavior is another key area where female and male blue-winged teals show clear differences. Males usually start their wintering grounds from mid-August, with females a little later or earlier than immature birds.

Shortly after the females begin to hatch, the male blue-winged teals leave the breeding grounds to moult. Groups of males and non-breeding females congregate in swamps for shelter while they are molting and unable to fly. By contrast, breeding females molt in or near their nests.

Blue-winged cyan pair by the water

call

Both male and female blue-winged teals are vocal, with each sex having its own unique call repertoire. Males whistle, while females use a range of different nasal quacks.

At the start of the breeding season, females emit a series of brief, single-row rattles to advertise their availability to potential mates.

Once paired, a female being pursued by another male will rattle loudly, followed by a warning “quack” call. Quacking is also used as a phone call between females and their ducklings.

A pair of blue-winged teals in non-breeding plumage – female on the left, male on the right

nesting and feeding

Nest selection is led by female blue-winged teals who survey potential prairie nests from the air, followed by flying males. Once the female is settled at the last spot, she alone begins preparing the nest, forming a shallow scratch lined with dry grass found at the spot.

Egg laying begins shortly after nesting, and the female is left unaccompanied during laying and incubation. In the initial stages, the males will remain fairly close together and defend the nest from a distance.

Females take short breaks between hatching and feeding, during which time they reunite with their mates at the water. However, around three weeks after hatching begins, these pairing bonds are no longer apparent, leaving the female alone to guard her eggs and nest and protect the ducklings after they hatch.

They hatch 21 to 40 days after spawning and are taken to the water by the female within 24 hours, never returning to the nest. By this time, the male is no longer around, and the female is solely responsible for protecting the vulnerable ducklings until they are fully independent. After hatching, the female continues to brood her young at night for two weeks on elevated land near water.

Blue-winged teals are omnivores, feeding on seeds, aquatic plants, algae and duckweed as well as invertebrates, aquatic snails and crustaceans. During the nesting period, the breeding female’s diet is mainly animal-based.

Female blue-winged blue duck with her chicks (ducklings)

similar to female blue-winged teal

Female blue-winged teals have a donated blue wing patch that helps distinguish them from their fellow species.

The female blue-winged teal is similar in appearance to the cinnamon teal, with the same light brown plumage throughout. However, the female cinnamon teal is a slightly warmer brown. The cinnamon teal has less prominent pale markings next to its beak compared to the prominent white spots on the female blue-winged teal.

From a distance, the green-winged teal is another species that looks similar to the blue-winged teal. On closer inspection, they have dark brown plumage, lack the pale white eye rings and facial spots that are common on female blue-winged teals, and are slightly smaller in size.

A pair of blue-winged ducklings standing together on a rock

common problem

Can a female blue-winged teal raise offspring alone?

Female blue-winged teals can raise their young alone, as they nest, hatch and accompany the young without the support of a male when they first go to sea. Incubating females temporarily leave their unhatched eggs to feed, during which time their eggs are left unattended rather than the males taking over the incubation.

What color is the female blue-winged teal?

As the name suggests, female blue-winged teals have prominent blue patches on the upper sides of their wings. Other than this single shimmer, they are mostly light brown with lighter pattern markings. Their heads are grayish brown with white feathers around the base of the beak.

Can a female blue-winged teal call?

Female blue-winged teals do call during breeding and non-breeding seasons and make distinct sounds. Their calls are easily discernible, apart from the vocalizations made by the males of the species.