Cinnamon Teal breeding males are the reason why these birds are named as such. They’re cinnamon-colored all over during the breeding season, and even their eyes are red.
On their backs, they have a scaly reddish-brown patch. They have a pale blue shoulder and a white line that separates them from the greenish lower wing.
Males will molt this glossy coloring and will then look similar to the females in winter. Females are brown with a scaly pattern on their chest, belly, and back.
- Spatula cyanoptera
- Length: 14- 17 in (36 – 43 cm)
- Weight: 16.4 oz (465 g)
- Wingspan: 24 – 30 in (61 -76 cm)
Range
Cinnamon Teals breed in western US states and southwestern Canada before migrating for winter to Mexico and South America. Some ducks remain all year in southwestern US states, Mexico, and South America.
Habitat And Diet
You can find Cinnamon Teals in freshwater marshes and ponds. Cinnamon Teals belong to the Dabbling Duck family, so they live on food that they can find by skimming the surface of the water, especially in shallow water.
They eat seeds, plants, and aquatic insects. They may opt to dabble just below the surface for submerged plants in deeper waters.
Cinnamon Teal Calls:
Male Cinnamon Teal
Female Cinnamon Teal
Nests
Nests of Cinnamon Teals are built on the ground, usually sheltered among tall grasses and vegetation but still near the water. The nests are made with grass made even softer with down.
There can be up to twelve eggs in a nest, and it takes up to twenty-five days for the eggs to hatch. After about 50 days, the young are able to fly on their own.
Fun Fact:
Cinnamon Teals change breeding partners every year.
