Mallard vs Blue-winged Teal
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Spatula discors
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Blue-winged Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Spatula discors |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 35.7 cm (14.1 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 400.5 g (14.13 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates and seeds; diet shifts between plant-heavy and invertebrate-heavy phases seasonally. |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds on prairie wetlands, lakes, and marshes across North America. Winters on freshwater and coastal wetlands from the southern United States through Central America to South America.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Male gives a high, thin whistle; female produces a rapid, descending quacking laugh. The nasal, laughing female call is immediately recognizable in North American freshwater marshes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds in tundra of northern Russia and Alaska; winters on the open North Pacific from Alaska to Japan and California.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Blue-winged Teal
Males have slate-blue head with bold white crescent before eye. Body brown with dark spots. Pale blue forewing patch and green speculum conspicuous. Females mottled brown with pale loral spot. …
About These Birds
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.
Blue-winged Teal
A small brown teal. Males have a slate-grey head with a large white crescent before the eye and a striking pale blue-grey wing patch visible in flight. One of North America's most abundant ducks. Long-distance migrant; winters from the southern United States to South America.