Waterfowl

Green-winged Teal

Anas crecca

The smallest North American dabbling duck. Males have a rich chestnut head with a broad green eye patch, and both sexes show a bright green wing speculum in flight.

Where to look

Buskin River mouth, marshes near Anton Larsen Bay, and small tundra ponds in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.

Habitat

Freshwater ponds, marshes, and estuaries.

Diet

Seeds, aquatic invertebrates, and small crustaceans.

Natural history note

Green-winged Teals can take off almost vertically from the water, flying in rapid twisting flocks that appear to act as one organism.