212 RIVER AND POND DUCKS 



of the male will readily identify these teals, 

 the blue wing-patch of the female separates 

 it from the female Green-winged and Euro- 

 pean Teals, but not from the female Blue- 

 winged Teal, from which it cannot be told 

 in the field. The female Shoveller, which 

 has a similar blue wing-patch and the 

 same general coloration, is separated by its 

 very large bill. 



IN FLIGHT. The style of flight is 

 similar to that of other teals, but flocks 

 are readily recognized by the red colour of 

 the males and the blue wing-patches of both sexes. 



VOICE. Very silent birds; male, a low, rattling, chattering voice of poor 

 carrying-power; female, a simple, mild, quack. 



LIFE STORY 



Among the River and Pond ducks the Cinnamon Teal is the only 

 North American species that is confined in its range to the western por- 

 tion of the continent. The centre of its abundance is west of the Rocky 

 Mountains and it is only rarely encountered east of this divide. Strange- 

 ly enough it was first recorded, in 1849, far from its home, near the town 

 of Opalousas in Louisiana, in which state it is not now known. It is 

 unique also in that it has two distinct populations in the New World, 

 one in western North America, as above, and the other in southern 

 South America divided by a distance of some 2,000 miles, but no mi- 

 gration takes place between these two widely separated ranges. 



This teal and the Blue-wing seem to be more closely related to each 

 other than they are to the other teals. As a matter of fact, both of these 

 ducks are closely allied to the Shoveller, and the points of similarity 

 between the three are dealt with fully in the "Life Story" of that bird. 

 The female Cinnamon and the female Blue-wing are distinguishable 

 only by minor differences in width of bill and unreliable and hardly 

 noticeable shades of coloration. The ducks themselves know the differ- 

 ence, however, as even in captivity crosses between the two species are 

 unknown. 



These teals inhabit the tule bordered shallow edges of the lakes and 

 marshes of their western range where the families find ample cover from 

 their many natural enemies. They are seldom encountered associated 

 in large flocks and are usually found in pairs or, after the breeding sea- 

 son, in family parties, and may be seen paddling quietly in and out of 

 the rank vegetation, busily feeding along the surface as they go. They 

 are rather tame, confiding birds and will allow a close approach before 

 taking flight; even then they will alight almost immediately at no great 

 distance away. When by themselves they are very playful, chasing one 

 another and splashing around in the most joyous manner. When so 

 romping the males may be observed playing "leap frog" one will rush 

 at the other, leap over him and alight in the water just ahead; the hind- 

 most will take his turn at the leap and so on. 



The courtship display of this species, condensed from an account by 



