122 GAME BIBDS OF CALIFORNIA 



ing the winter it is distributed from the south-central states to north- 

 ern South America. Consequently it must be classed along with the 

 Cinnamon Teal as a southern duck which comes north through the 

 United States for the summer. 



The Blue-winged Teal has been taken but comparatively few times 

 in California and the majority of the records are from south of 

 Tehachapi. Of twenty individual specimens recorded, three are of 

 January date, one of February, eight are of "spring" dates (March 

 to May, inclusive), the other eight of "fall" dates (August to October, 

 inclusive). From these facts it would appear that the Blue- winged 

 Teal occurs in California as a transient, and casually as a midwinter 

 visitant. 



The adult male is distinctive among American ducks by reason of 

 the crescent-shaped patches of white on the sides of its head, and this 

 feature gives it the name of White-faced Teal. The large area of 

 light blue on the wing will separate the Blue-winged Teal from all 

 other ducks of similar size except the Cinnamon Teal. The males of 

 these two species are readily distinguished because of the bright 

 cinnamon, almost chestnut color, of the Cinnamon Teal. The females 

 and young, however, are very similar. Those of the Blue-winged 

 Teal have a slenderer bill (compare figs. 15 and 16), constricted at 

 the base, and they lack the slight tinge of chestnut to be noted on the 

 sides of the breast in the Cinnamon Teal. The feathers of the breast 

 of the Cinnamon Teal are commonly marked with horseshoe-shaped 

 markings of pale rufous, whereas those of the Blue-winged Teal are 

 simply edged with ashy. 



According to Davie (1889, p. 65) the nest is made on the ground, 

 in a thick patch or tussock of grass, usually in meadows, the borders 

 of ponds, or streams, and swampy places. It is composed of soft 

 pieces of grass and weeds and lined with down and feathers from 

 the breast of the bird. The eggs are six to twelve in number, bluntly 

 ovate in shape, and are lighter in tint than those of the Green-winged 

 Teal; they are distinguishable from those of the Cinnamon only by 

 their slightly smaller size. In the middle west this duck is said to nest 

 in thickly settled localities and even on embankments beside railroad 

 tracks. 



Like the Green-winged Teal, the Blue-wing flies with great speed 

 and in close flocks. On approaching a pond it drops quickly into 

 the water or into the reeds much as do some of the shorebirds. 



The habits of the Blue-winged Teal are almost identical with those 

 of the Green-winged Teal. Individuals found in California have 

 nearly always been mixed in with flocks of Green-winged Teal and 

 have not been recognized until shot. 



