RIVER DUCKS 



(139) Nettion carolinense 



(Gmel.) (Gr., a duckling). 



GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Size 

 very small. Ad. cf — As shown. 

 Head reddish-brown; speculum and 

 patch back of eye metallic green; 

 white crescent in front of wings. 

 Ad. 9 — Wings as on the a'; head 

 and neck grayish-white, streaked 

 with dusky; breast and sides more or 

 less streaked or spotted. L., 14.00; 

 W., 7.25; T., 3.00; B., 1.50. 



Range — Breeds from New Bruns- 

 wick, III., and central Cal. north to 

 Ungava and Alaska. Winters from 

 N. Y., Ind., and B. C. southward. 



(138) EUROPEAN TEAL (Net- 

 tion crecca). Occasional or acci- 

 dental on both coasts of N. A. The 

 Gf" has no white crescent in front 

 of the wing. 



honor of being the smallest American ducks. Besides being 

 one of the most handsomely plumaged species, they are 

 probably, taking everything into consideration, the most 

 graceful. On land they walk easily and run well, with no 

 signs of the waddling that some of the ducks show. 



During migrations, they travel in quite large, compact 

 flocks and are most abundant in the interior, because they 

 prefer fresh to salt water, although smaller flocks of them 

 are often seen in marshes and rivers along the coast. Be- 

 cause they are so active they are able to catch a great many 

 insects and feed largely upon such food when it is obtainable, 

 as well as upon roots of various water plants, grasses, etc. 

 In the south they visit rice fields, often in company with 

 Mallards and other large ducks. They are more compan- 

 ionable than most ducks; even when feeding, the flock 

 keeps well grouped instead of scattering as JMallards and 

 Black Ducks will. Green-winged Teal utter shrill piping 

 whistles, not unlike the notes of some plovers. 



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