Blue-winged Teal Spatula (prev.Anas) discors
The Blue-winged Teal is more similar in appearance and bill to the Australasian Shoveler
(and even the Red Shoveler) than to other Teals (with the exception of its close relative the Cinnamon Teal).
Drake Blue-winged Teal above. It is native to North America but winters in Central America and the Caribbean.
Like many ducks, the drake Blue-winged Teal loses his blue-grey head colour
in his eclipse plumage and becomes similar in appearance to the female.
The female Blue-wing looks similar to the female Cinnamon Teal. She has a pale oval spot at base of
bill and white chin, strong brown eye-stripe, pale blue on wings visible when outstretched and green speculum with narrow white border.
Although this female has a speculum like the American Green-winged Teal,
Anas (crecca) carolinensis, the white spot at the base of the bill, white chin and
patterned undertail instead of unpatterned whitish are more in keeping with the Blue-winged.