Notes on the Blue-wing Teal.



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NOTES ON THE BLUE-WING TEAL.


(Querquedula discors.)


By M. Portal.


According to Sandford, in his book “ The Waterfowl Family,”

this Teal has a very wide range for breeding, extending from Maine

to B. Columbia, probably Texas, Mexico, and north to Labrador.

He reports it as rare on the Pacific Coast.


Although the breeding range is considerable, he remarks that

the birds are in no way partial to cold weather and “ hurry along at

the first frosts.” It breeds most abundantly on the Northern Prairies

of U.S.A. and in Manitoba. This being the case, it seems to be a

great pity we cannot get more hand-reared birds in England, as

without doubt the Blue-wing is one of the nicest of all the Teals and

gets very tame.


With reference to frost, I notice that it does not mind it, as

long as it has shelter from the wind. My pond—which is quite one of

the worst imaginable for any waterfowl—stands 570 feet up, and in

Northumberland, which is not famed for warmth or mild winters.

I have had Blue-wing Teal here now for three years, having been

given a pair by a kind friend as a start and reputed “ hand-reared,”

and they nest each year, but so far malignant fate always spoils the

nest before I lift the eggs, usually a rat has been the culprit, but once

my foot was : as I trod on it. The nest is always well hidden and in

and under a tuft of grass, and the female covers it up most carefully

when she leaves it. To me it is always a source of uncertainty when

to lift a nest found with five or six eggs in. You knoiv she will lay

probably nine or ten before she begins to sit, and you hope the odd

dozen vermin traps you have got set about the pond will catch any rat

before he finds her nest—and being naturally anxious for a full

clutch you chance it—and fail.


So far I have only reared one young one from a dropped egg,

and he got hurt by the hen at three weeks and pined. Up to that

time there was little difference in it from common Teal, and, until

hurt, fed well on ordinary duck meal, egg, duck weed and bread

crumbs.


Personally, I think that to be really successful with Teal,



