Beautiful Relatives of Our Blue-wings

Silver teal (Spatula versicolor) are cousins to our blue-winged ducks – Shovelers, Cinnamons and Blue-wings. All in the genus Spatula – clearly named for that Shoveler bill.

Silver Teal are common across much of South America. They differ from North American dabblers in that females are colored almost a brightly as males - side feathers less striking and bill slightly less yellow (two bottom ducks).

They also differ from our dabblers as both parents attend young.

-Frank