GREEN-WINGED TEAL 



139. Settion carolinense. 14 in. 



Head reddish-brown; speculum and large patch back 

 of eye, green; a white crescent in front of wing. Female 

 with the head and neck whitish, finely streaked with 

 dusky; wings as in male. These ducks are abundant in 

 most parts of the United States, but are rather uncom- 

 I mon in New England. They are usually seen in flocks 

 I of ten or a dozen, and often a single bird, or two or 

 I three, may be found with a flock of Mallards. They 

 ; frequent ponds, marshes and rush-grown shores of creeks, 

 I rivers or lakes, feeding upon shellfish, insects, aquatic 

 I plants and seeds. 



Notes. Shrill, piping whistles, rapidly repeated. 



Nest. On the ground under the shelter of tall grass; 

 I it is made of weeds and grass, and lined with feathers. 

 [ They lay from 5 to 9 eggs, buffy (1.85x1.25); May, 

 June. 



Range. Breeds from the northern tier of states north- 

 ward; winters from Va., 111. and British Columbia, 

 southward. 



