Cinnamon Teal Gallery

Males

Male cinnamon teal calling out to his mate at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Hey Ladies!
I have mixed feelings every year when spring comes to Ridgefield. I’m saddened that the large numbers of wintering waterfowl are beginning to migrate out, but anxiously awaiting the spring migrants that will pass through, not to mention the summer residents. The turtles, snakes, and frogs show their faces once more. Plus you get to see mating displays and eventually the young ones of the animals that nest on the refuge.

A particular spring delight are the cinnamon teal that ring the ponds and lakes of the auto tour, the males bobbing their heads up and down and chattering as they impress the females. They are frequently near the road now so they are much more visible, all the more so given the absence of the large flocks of ducks. The mating displays aren’t all about impressing the ladies, but also to ward away rival suitors. An approaching male will join in the head bob dance and they will chatter at one another until the victor chases off his rival.

This male was displaying for a nearby female, the head is at its low point in the bob and he’s chattering softly to her. With his head fully raised, I couldn’t capture the top of his head and still keep his reflection in the frame. It’s times like this that I wish my 500mm lens could zoom back just a bit.

A male cinnamon teal swims in Rest Lake at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Male cinnamon teal stands in the grasses beside Rest Lake at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Male cinnamon teal feeds beside Rest Lake at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Females

A female cinnamon teal sits in the tall grass at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Pretty Plain
When you see a male cinnamon teal in breeding plumage you have no doubt from whence his name comes as much of his body is covered with reddish feathers. Even his eyes are red! Yet as with most ducks, the female cinnamon teal lacks the distinctive coloring of the male. She can be pretty even in her plainness though, and watching her courting dance with the male, their heads bobbing up and down, is always a springtime delight at Ridgefield.

I've been making an effort over the past year to try and show off the subtle beauty of female ducks, and I stopped in my tracks when I saw this female teal through a tunnel of tall grass, sitting just a few feet from her mate. I love pictures like this and was happy enough with the first pictures I took, but then the male waddled off just out of sight and the female began calling out to him as shown in the picture above. She waddled off after him and in the blink of an eye they were both out of sight.

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July 30, 2011