The males have bright red shoulder patches. They build lodges out of cattails. Dragonflies patrol wetlands in search of smaller insects like flies and midges. Cattails are eaten by muskrats and provide nesting sites for many marsh birds. Avocets sweep their long bills through shallow water to capture insects and other tiny animals.
Cinnamon teal are common ducks in the marsh.
They are named for their reddish-brown color. Leopard frogs feed on many insects found in the marsh. Pondweed seeds can survive long periods of drought. Tiny midge larvae live underwater feeding on dead plants. Many animals eat midge larvae.