Green-winged Teal Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGreen-winged Teal
Male (American)
Small, blocky duck. Breeding males have a chestnut head with a green streak behind the eye and a vertical white stripe on the side.
© Jeff Stacey / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2017Male (Eurasian)
Eurasian subspecies have a horizontal white stripe on the side as opposed to the vertical stripe on American subspecies.
© Charles Fitzpatrick / Macaulay LibraryNewfoundland and Labrador, January 07, 2021Breeding male (American) with American Coot
Small, compact duck. At distance, the white vertical stripe at the shoulder (on males) and the creamy diagonal mark at the tail (on both sexes) are useful marks.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 08, 2014Not all videos have sound
Female/immature male
Small duck with a blocky body. Females and nonbreeding males have a cream-colored stripe at the rear.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, September 21, 2011Male and female (American)
In flight both males and females have a green "speculum" patch in the wing.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryColorado, March 31, 2009Male (American)
Small duck with a blocky body. Breeding males have a chestnut head with a green stripe behind the eye and a vertical white stripe on the side. The undertail coverts are cream colored.
© Frank King / Macaulay LibraryNewfoundland and Labrador, March 04, 2017Female/immature male
Green speculums often hidden on resting birds, but are visible in flight.
© Amanda Guercio / Macaulay LibraryOntario, November 22, 2012Immature
Feeds in shallow bodies of water and in flooded fields. Breeds in dense vegetation along river deltas.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, August 28, 2016Male and female (American)
Wintering birds typically flock to shallow wetlands, including coastal marshes and bayous, estuaries, riparian sloughs, and agricultural areas such as rice fields.
© Patrick Maurice / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 31, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Breeding male
Male American Wigeons lack the cinnamon-brown head and the vertical white flank stripe of male Green-winged Teals.
© Karl Krueger / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, February 06, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Female
Female American Wigeons are paler than female Green-winged Teals with a shorter, paler bill. They also lack the buffy stripe at the rear that female Green-winged Teals have.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, February 28, 2015Similar SpeciesBlue-winged Teal
Breeding male
Male Blue-winged Teals have a white eye crescent on the face that male Green-winged Teals lack.
© Dave Spier / Macaulay LibrarySouth Carolina, February 23, 2006Similar SpeciesBlue-winged Teal
Breeding male
Male Blue-winged Teals in flight show a blue upper wing patch that Green-winged Teals lack.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 08, 2016Similar SpeciesBlue-winged Teal
Female/nonbreeding male
Female/nonbreeding male Blue-winged Teals are paler and lack the buffy stripe at the rear that female Green-winged Teals have.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 08, 2015Similar SpeciesCinnamon Teal
Breeding male
Male Cinnamon Teals are cinnamon colored and do not have the green head stripe that male Green-winged Teals have.
© Matthew Pendleton / Macaulay LibraryUtah, April 23, 2015Similar SpeciesCinnamon Teal
Breeding male
Male Cinnamon Teals in flight show a blue upper wing patch that Green-winged Teals lack.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 21, 2017Similar SpeciesCinnamon Teal
Female/nonbreeding male
Female/nonbreeding male Cinnamon Teals are larger than Green-winged Teals and have a larger bill. They also lack the buffy stripe at the rear that female Green-winged Teals have.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, April 15, 2019Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
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