Cinnamon teal

The cinnamon teal is a captivating duck species native to the western parts of North and South America. The males are especially striking with their vibrant reddish feathers, while the females exhibit a more muted brown plumage. These ducks thrive in marshes and ponds, where they primarily feed on plants.

Male cinnamon teals are distinguished by their cinnamon-red heads and bodies, whereas females have a mottled brown appearance. They are small dabbling ducks, typically measuring about 16 inches in length, with a wingspan of 22 inches, and weighing around 14 ounces.

During the breeding season, cinnamon teals are found in marshes and ponds across the western United States and southwestern Canada. Occasionally, they appear on the east coast of the U.S. When winter approaches, these migratory birds migrate to warmer regions such as northern South America, the Caribbean, California, and southwestern Arizona. There is also a subspecies that resides in the Andes of South America.

Cinnamon teals feed by dabbling, primarily on plants, but they also eat mollusks and aquatic insects. Interestingly, they sometimes interbreed with their close relatives, the blue-winged teals. Depending on the region, different subspecies can be found, including the northern cinnamon teal, tropical cinnamon teal, Borrero's cinnamon teal, Andean cinnamon teal, and Argentine cinnamon teal.

For those interested in more detailed information, notable references include "The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World" by James Clements, "National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America" by Dunn and Alderfer, and "Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America" by Floyd. Additionally, there are scientific studies focusing on the avifauna of El Salvador that provide further insights.