Green-winged Teal vs Mallard
Anas carolinensis compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green-winged Teal | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas carolinensis | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 330.5 g (11.66 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Eats aquatic invertebrates, molluscs, and seeds; dives in shallow water; diet shifts between invertebrates and … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Green-winged Teal
Breeds on boreal and subarctic wetlands across North America. Winters on freshwater marshes, coastal estuaries, rice paddies, and shallow wetlands from the southern United States to Central America and the Caribbean.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Green-winged Teal
Male produces a high, clear krick call; female gives a subdued quack. Closely related to Common Teal; male's ringing call punctuates North American freshwater marshes in spring.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Green-winged Teal
Breeds in Arctic regions; winters at sea across the North Pacific, from Alaska to Japan and northern California.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Green-winged Teal
Males have chestnut head with iridescent green eye patch; gray body; vertical white shoulder stripe (vs. horizontal in Common Teal). Cream and black undertail. Females mottled brown. Smallest North American …
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
About These Birds
Green-winged Teal
A small dabbling duck, the North American counterpart to Common Teal. Males have a rich chestnut head with broad metallic green eye-stripe, finely vermiculated grey body, and a distinctive white vertical breast stripe. One of North America's most abundant ducks.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.