Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal breed from the Great Basin and the western Great Plains south through much of South America. In the United States, this species is relatively uncommon compared with other ducks.

Erika and I found a pair of Cinnamon Teal at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge on 1 May 2019. In this part of Washington, these ducks are probably migrants. They pair monogramously, at least for the current season. Pairs form before they reach their breeding grounds. Males guard females until late incubation. Then the males form small flocks in nearby wetlands or move to large marshes to molt. The females remain with their young until they fledge. Males and females that did not produce young begin their southern migration in late summer; successful breeding females and young birds follow in early fall (Gammonley 2012).