
GREEN-WINGED TEAL 
If the scapulars are attached, the presence of one or more vermi- 
culated feathers indicates that the wing is from a male. If none of 
the scapulars are vermiculated, the wing could be that of either a 
male or female. 
The stripe on the most distal tertial is the most useful indica- 
tor of sex. On the wings of males, this stripe is black and sharply 
delineated from the basic feather color. On the wings of females, 
this stripe is blackish to brownish, but grades into the basic feather 
color, The wing length of females rarely exceeds 183 mm. 
Juvenile tertials are small, narrow, and rather delicate. The 
tips of these feathers are often badly frayed. Adult female and 
first winter tertials are heavily edged with cream. Adult male and 
first winter tertials are long, unedged, or with narrow edging. 
Because adult and first winter tertials are similar for a given sex, 
the presence of "adult type" tertials is not by itself an indication 
of age. Many birds molt tertials during the hunting season. For 
some of these, it is possible to split incoming pin feathers with a 
thumb-nail to see whether the new feather is male or female in char- 
acter. For other birds with molted tertials, determination of sex 
is not possible. 
Tertial coverts that are long and narrow, showing fine, light 
edging, and a fringed-fraying are remnants of juvenile plumage and 
positively identify the birds as being immatures. The tertial stripe 
may be used to separate the sexes. Adult female and female first 
winter tertial coverts are broadly rounded and widely edged with 
cream or brown. Adult male and male first winter tertial coverts 
are a uniform gray, sometimes with a narrow buffy edging, and taper- 
ing to a blunt point. In each sex, the adult and first winter 
tertial coverts are similar, and thus “adult type" tertial coverts 
are not a sure indication of age. 
Middle coverts of adult males are smooth and unedged. Middle 
coverts of immatures are rough and may show gray-appearing wear at 
their edges. Immatures may also possess light edging which is more 
pronounced on females but may also be present on males. Broad, 
rounded, heavily-edged middle coverts are present on adult females. 
Traces of juvenile plumage usually remain most obvious immediately 
anterior to the tertial coverts. 
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