Retro-Blog... The Green-winged Teal Drama

I have been having computer problems due to high wind damage to the connection at home.  I finally got the internet connection again but have not had a chance to go on my walks so I am posting a retro-post from November of 2010. 

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 November 28, 2010

It was chilly this morning and the wind made it feel like it was going to snow. I noticed that there were hundreds of ducks and shorebirds feeding on the low tide line of the shore at the San Elijo Lagoon and I got really excited about getting some good photos of these migrating visitors.

I took a few photos of my favorites, the snowy egrets, some Osprey shots and as usual I noticed a small group of Green-winged Teal swimming nearby. I started taking some photos of them thinking how sweet and calm they looked and that they must be just enjoying the sun and each other's company. My Goodness was I WRONG!!  LOL... This was a serious situation and the drama I was witnessing and taking photos of was their courtship and mate selection ritual. It was fascinating to see and to be able to show you what happened. How a Green-winged Teal female picks a mate and the "DRAMA of the elimination!" 

Looking at this photo, you would think, WOW how sweet, several ducks swimming and enjoying the morning... but not!  LOL... You can see there are three males circling and swimming around a lone female. The males have dark reddish and green markings on their heads and the white stripe on their shoulders. The lone female is the plainer brown one in the center.

This is the start of a process for the female Green-winged Teal to choose her mate. Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca measures 14 inches long with a wingspan of 23 inches. They are the smallest of the ducks and one of the most abundant in the U.S. as well as one of the fastest flying ducks. Able to fly at 30mph, they also are surface dabblers.  They do not dive underwater unless threatened, such as to avoid being captured by a predator. Dabbling ducks do not submerge but tip their heads underwater and feed with their tails sticking up. Dabblers are capable of taking off directly from the water unlike diving ducks which must get a running start. In this photo, the female is in the center and she is LOOKING at her suitors. Only she knows what she is looking for...

 

She is dead serious. Her posture rigid, her neck feathers puffed. The female stays in the center looking over her three suitors as potential mates as they swim around her displaying how handsome they are. They are all saying "choose ME!!! "

The males put on an impressive show pushing out of the water with their chest out which turns into the strange bowing display you see in the above photo.  They puff up their crown feathers and look aggressive towards the other males but none of the three are leaving. They are staying right near the female.  Not too close but still in the game.

 

They are ALL very handsome. I am wondering what is she thinking? What will she do next? Will this go on and on? Will she decide today?

Like a lightning strike and out of the blue, the female attacks one of her suitors! She is in full attack mode and she is quacking!!  (The female Green-winged Teals "quack" and the males whistle.)

The male is being attacked by her and being told to GO!!! Get lost !! 

As a dabbler type duck, the male has the ability to take off almost instantly out of water in flight and he is taking advantage of that talent!  This photo shows the green on his wing, in this light looking somewhat pale blue, but the name "Teal" does not refer to the color but is thought to mean "small " as they are one of the smallest ducks in the world.

 

The female is relentless. She is making sure he gets the message. She chases him in the water, swimming and charging after him aggressively even as he lifts off.

I hear her quacking and telling him to go... he is not the one! There is no question in her action... she means what she says.

Wow... there are two males left now.. this one is looking a little nervous. He is hoping that she chooses him!

 

Noooo!!! She is like a great white shark as she leaps at the next "eliminated " male. It is as though she is saying YOU ARE OUT !!!  There is no question in any duck's mind but that she means what she says. The male hurries away form her aggressive "good bye"!! 

He figures if he swims out of the reach of her attacking bill, he could just hang out and maybe she will change her mind.

This behavior of choosing her mate is in her DNA. It is what she must do. He can not change her mind. She appears dead serious and he needs to comply!  Again, she is on the attack.

 

She goes after him again (pictured at lower right). Now, he finally gets the hint and flies away leaving the lone lucky male still swimming around the female as the "last duck standing".  She has chosen her mate and this was quite a show... lol, better than any reality show on TV!

 

The female fluffs her feather into place and composes herself. I can see a smile on her face...LOL and he is thinking "Yes, I'm the man!"

After all the drama, she has composed herself and looks very sweet. Her neck feathers are down and she appears calm. She swims up to the remaining male slowly and in a non-threatening graceful move. He sits and waits for her.  When she joins him, they both swim together towards a new life. At least for this year!  The male Green-winged Teal typically disappears before their young hatch... and next year the female will choose a new mate. 

 

But for now the story has just begun for this pair... The FEMALE has done all the work of getting rid of the other two males that were her suitors and now that she has chosen him, the responsibility for keeping other males away from HER will now be HIS. Her new mate, the male Green-winged Teal, pictured upper left in this photo, appears to be up for his new duties!!  Here comes an intruder male, shown lower right in this photo, wandering too close into their personal space... 

 

The male Green-wing Teal attacks!  Now that he has his mate, it is up to HIM to keep all other males away from his female.

Have a great week everyone!