84 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



been much disturbed they feed freely at night, resting during the day 

 on open stretches of water where they are comparatively safe. They dive 

 readily when necessity requires it, but seldom in search of food, the larger 

 part of their food being found in shallow water, along shore or on the 

 marshes and mud flats. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult male with chin dusky or black, a large patch of metallic green on each side of 

 head including the eye and extending back to the nape where the two patches join and 

 the feathers are elongated into a crest; rest of head, upper throat, and neck bright cinnamon 

 brown. Sides and upper back finely vermiculated with black and white; breast pinkish- 

 brown (vinaceous) spotted with black ; a conspicuous white bar or crescent on the side of the 

 breast just in front of the bend of the wing; under tail-coverts buffy white at the sides, 

 black in the middle. Speculum metallic green and velvet black in about equal parts, 

 margined in front with clear pale brown and behind with pure white. Adult female 

 similar only as to wings. The rest of the bird mainly slaty brown above, many of the 

 feathers with ashy margins, the brown darkest on top of the head; the breast and sides 

 buffy white, each feather with a large spot of brown; tlie chin, belly, and lower tail-coverts, 

 white and unspotted; sides of breast and neck finely streaked with dusky-brown on a 

 nearly white ground color. Yoimg of the year resemble the female. 



Length 12.50 to 15 inches; wing 6.25 to 7.40; culmen 1.40 to 1.(30. 



39. Blue-winged Teal. Querquedula discors {Linn.). (140) 



Synonyms: Blue-wing, Summer Teal. — Anas discors, Linn., 1766. — Cyanopterus 

 discors, Eyt., 1838. — Pterocyanea discors, Bonap., 1856. — Querquedula discors of authors 

 generally. 



The adult male is instantly recognized by the large pure white crescent 

 (like a new moon) on each side of the head iDetween the eye and bill; adults 

 of either sex have most of the shoulder (lesser wing-coverts and scapulars) 

 light blue; the small size separates it from anything but the Green- winged 

 Teal. 



Distribution. — North America in general, but chiefly eastward; north 

 to Alaska, and south to the West Indies, Lower California, and northern 

 South America. Casual in California. Breeds from Kansas and southern 

 IlUnois northward. 



Probably the Blue-winged Teal is the most abundant summer duck 

 found in Michigan and formerly it bred commonly all over the state. 

 It still breeds in suitable localities, but much less frequently than formerly. 

 It is later in arriving in spring than most of our ducks, seldom reaching 

 the southern counties before the first of April, while it is one of the earliest 

 of all to move southward in autumn, the movement beginning by Septem 

 ber 1 and being practically competed during that month. Its abundance, 

 the ease with which it decoys, and its good table qualities insure constant 

 persecution during the open season. 



While with us it shows a marked preference for marshes, grassy ponds 

 and sluggish streams, and is particularly partial to regions where wild 

 rice (Zizania) grows. It is rarely seen singly or in pairs, but almost always 

 in flocks of a dozen or more, sometimes more than fifty being found together. 

 It is neither shy nor suspicious and hence is more frequently bagged by 

 the amateur than any other duck. 



The nest, placed on the ground in meadows or prairies, is formed of 

 grass and lined with down. The eggs are from eight to twelve, white or 

 buffy white, and average 1.84 by 1.134 inches. 



Our nesting records are Hillsdale (Munson); moutli of Kalamazoo 



