Cinnamon Teal

Physical Features

The Cinnamon Teal is a small dabbling duck that is 14 to 17 inches long and has a wingspan of two feet. The females are distinguished by a light brown head and neck with a brown top and white belly, a light blue shoulder patch on her wings, a white band of feathers under the patch and a strip of green feathers at the edge of the wing. The males have a distinct bright cinnamon-colored head and a neck, stomach, sides and wings that are similarly colored to that of the female except that his shoulder patch is a darker blue.

Habitat

The Cinnamon Teal inhabits shallow ponds, marshes, streams and lakes with low growing reeds on the boundaries. During the breeding season, they occupy the British Colombia, California, Mexico and Texas in western North America but in winter, they move to the southern region of their breeding range.

Diet

Cinnamon Teal are dabblers that feed by either scooping up floating plants, seeds and insects in shallow water or they dive underwater to feed on aquatic invertebrates.

Meat

The Cinnamon teal has red meat that is flavorsome and tender.

Behavior

Cinnamon Teal are able to take off directly from water and fly at high speeds in flocks that are composed of males and females in pairs. When attracting a mate, the female will swim in front of the male while the male preens, dips its head and take short flights to attract the female. The female Cinnamon Teal builds a nest out of grass, down feathers and plant stems. The nests are sometimes built underneath dead reeds and plant stems to offer better protection and these are accessed through a small tunnel. She then lays nine to twelve eggs that hatch after three weeks. Chicks are covered in down feathers immediately after they hatch and they are ready to leave the nest after 34 hours. The mother takes care of them until they fledge at the age of one and halve months. The male Cinnamon Teal gives loud, evenly spaced guttural “quacks” while the male produce a thin whistled 'peep' or 'peer.'

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