© Joseph Kennedy
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
Family: (Anatidae) Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Preferred Habitat: Ponds.
Seasonal Occurrence: Common October through April.
Profile by Glenn Olsen: Winter on the upper Texas coast is a fantastic time to enjoy the out of doors and is the best time to observe ducks. Our coastal marshes, bays, ponds, lakes, flooded rice fields, and farmlands provide a diverse range of habitats for many species of ducks.
Of the many beautifully plumaged ducks, the Cinnamon Teal is a thrill to see because it is uncommon in abundance and is distinctly attractive in appearance. The breeding range of Cinnamon Teal includes Mexico, the western United States, and southern Canada. During winter months they are thinly dispersed through the lower half of the western States, Mexico, and the southern part of Texas up to the upper coast. It is uncommon in our area but a few are usually found in most winters and it is exciting to find one.
The male in breeding plumage is quite distinctive, beautiful and easily identified. The head, sides and belly are a deep, rich cinnamon red color. Red eyes accent the coppery red head and a blackish rear end contrasts nicely with the body. While the adult male is unmistakable, the female, like many other female ducks is mottled browns without distinctive plumage markings. The female is very similar to a female blue winged teal and separating the two in the field can be quite challenging and fun. To distinguish between the two females requires some experience with both species and good viewing conditions. Differences are slight but generally the female Cinnamon Teal has a less distinct eyeline or no eyeline and less white giving it a plainer looking face, and a slightly longer and wider bill structure giving it a subtle appearance suggestive of a northern shoveler's bill. However, these subtle differences are more easily described than they are seen. Even with experience and favorable viewing conditions it may not be possible to reliably identify a lone female in all cases.
To gain that experience and practice in separating duck species one needs to get out in the field and look at ducks. There are good places to see some of the 21 species of ducks that winter in our area and include the Katy Prairie flooded fields, Attwater's National Wildlife refuge, and Brazos Bend State Park. A Cinnamon Teal has been reported at Hermann Park in the past. So, look for them wherever there is a pond.
Profile by Theresa Kelly: The Cinnamon Teal is a regular (though not overly common) wintertime visitor to the Houston area, a cheery splash of red floating among the reeds of freshwater ponds. Relatively small overall with a large head and long bill, Cinnamon Teal have a fairly nondescript silhouette. The male’s breeding plumage is its most distinct ID feature, vivid, rusty red overall. They also sport a white underwing, light blue shoulder, and green secondaries which are usually only visible in flight. Breeding males lose their crimson hue during molt, and from late summer through autumn they look like the juveniles and females: brown body, faintly dark eyeline, and dark cap. Molted males can be distinguished from the Blue-winged Teal by their red eyes, while Cinnamon Teal of all sexes and ages may be set apart from other teal by their longer, wider bill.
Compared to other ducks, Cinnamon Teal breeding is unusual. They have separate breeding populations in North and South America. Only one subspecies of five occurs in North America (septentrionalium), the other four residing in South America. Tropica and borreroi are Columbia endemics, while orinomus and cyanoptera occur in and south of Peru. Subspecies differ largely in the intensity of their red plumage, amount of spotting in their plumage, and the degree of size difference between males and females.
North American Cinnamon Teal breed and molt in freshwater wetlands, with US breeding populations generally confined west of the Rockies. Most abundant on large, permanent marshes, Cinnamon Teal may also be found in streams, reservoirs, ditches, stock ponds, and temporary wetlands. They are not overly particular about habitat, as long as it possesses the necessary vegetation for nest-building and food. Marsh grass seeds and shoots make up a large portion of their diet, though they do consume snails, beetles, dragonflies, midges, and other insects. Like most dabbling ducks, Cinnamon Teal forage from the water’s surface, sometimes following each other in tight groups like Northern Shovelers do.
Cinnamon Teal are far from endangered, though their populations have declined in the past fifty years. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population to be roughly 380,000, placing them on the Yellow Watch List for declining species. Agriculture and industry have led to the contamination and loss of the wetlands they rely on, while US hunters kill an estimated 800,000 Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal each year. Protected wetlands are crucial for the preservation of this beautiful duck. The Shoveler Pond loop at Anahuac NWR is a reliable place to find them, with breeding plumage males standing out from the other waterfowl in their full ruddy glory.
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Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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Bird Guide
© Greg Lavaty, www.texastargetbirds.com
© Greg Lavaty, www.texastargetbirds.com
