The following is a guide to help you identify the various species. Visiting Ducks One of the first species to arrive is a small, brown duck called the blue-winged teal. The male blue-winged teal is clearly marked with a white crescent moon set in his face. Following close behind are green-winged teals that wear green eyepatches set in chestnut heads. The cinnamon teal is easily identified by its all over, deep cinnamon color.
Northern shovelers are handsome ducks with out-sized bills.
They are early arrivers but they get here while they are still wearing the eclipse plumage. You can tell they are northern shovelers because of the size of their bill. Don't be fooled by the pale, crescent on the face that is similar to the cresecent on the face of the blue-winged teal. When the males are in full plumage, they are distinctively dressed with a green head, white breast and chestnut brown sides. The northern pintail male wears a chocolate brown head on top of a long, slender, white neck that extends into the head.