DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS: GREEN-WINGED TEAL 123 
In the spring migration it is most common in March, arriving at Camp Burgwyn, 
March 16, 1860 (Anderson), proceeding northward in early April. On the Carlsbad 
Bird Reserve in 1914 it was noted on March 6; 200 were estimated March 13, and 
several hundred, March 23, 24, and 25; also on the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, 
100 were reported, March 21, 1914 (Cooper), On the Mayberry Ranch about 60 
miles west of Magdalena, perhaps 25 were found April 26, 1915 (Ligon).—W. W. 
Cooke. 
Nest. —On the ground near water in thick grass, or among willows, made of 
grass and lined with down. Eggs: 6 to 12, pale buffy white or greenish buff. 
Food. —Mainly seeds of aquatic plants including various grasses, sedges, wild 
rice, wild millett, wapato, and pondweeds, duckweeds, small acorns, fallen grapes 
or berries, aquatic insects, alkali flies, brine shrimps, and small snails. The 
gizzards of two taken at Lake Burford September 27, 1904, were full of small seeds, 
mainly salt weed ( Dondia ). 
General Habits. —One of the little brown-headed Green-wing 
drakes shot near Cebolla Spring, September 28, 1906, was in exquisitely 
fresh fall plumage with a delicate green bloom on the wing coverts and 
beautiful rose bloom on parts of the back, wings, and tail. When seen 
with the big Mallard feeding in the shallows, as it often is, the Green¬ 
wing looks surprisingly diminutive, and it is easy to understand its 
preference for the quiet harbors of fresh-water marshes and small 
waterways. Near Las Vegas in December, 1882, Mr. C. F. Batchelder 
found that the small Ducks “ adapted themselves easily to circumstances 
in this scantily watered country. Then* favorite resort was an irrigation 
ditch that followed the course of the river some distance below where it 
emerges from the canyon. This ditch was not more than six feet wide, 
but the water was clear and had a swift current. The banks were 
thickly lined with slender low* willows that overhung the water, offering 
an excellent shelter that the Teal seemed to appreciate highly. They 
were also sometimes to be found along the river, on some of its stiller 
stretches that were thickly fringed with bushes” (1885, p. 238). When 
in North Dakota wading in rushes bordering a small pond, Mr. Job 
says, “I heard some pattering sounds, and from almost at my feet eight 
tiny ducklings followed one another in a line out into the open water. 
In a moment the mother was on hand, and flapped and dragged herself 
about, almost within arm's reach of me. The young swam into the 
rushes again, and the old bird kept up the performance as long as I 
stayed there, flying off and coming back to renew her protestations 
(1899, p. 163). 
The duck has a high pitched, small quack, ka-ack , quack , but the 
drake's soft whistle, suggesting the note of the Wood Duck, seems quite 
in character with the delicate, exquisitely marked bird. 
The Green-wing is a rapid swimmer but seldom dives. On the wing 
the little duck shows surprising power, as was instanced by one Mr. 
Bailey saw trying to escape from a Golden Eagle. The Eagle gave chase 
