Cinnamon Teal Spatula / Anas cyanoptera)

Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera
(aka Anas cyanoptera)
Chilean name: Pato colorado

Cinnamon Teal, Concon, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image

Chile
December 2005

The Cinnamon Teal breeds in west central North America from British Colombia to north-west Mexico, in the Andes from Colombia to northern Chile and in the southern part of South America from south Brazil through Argentina and into central and southern Chile. It is partly migratory with the most northerly and most southerly populations wintering in the sub-tropics.

It is found in a variety of wetland habitats where the water is fairly shallow and there is plenty of vegetation. It feeds on aquatic plants and invertebrates mostly by dabbling.

The male is cinnamon-rufous with white stripes on its black scapulars and tertials. It has a red eye.

Cinnamon Teal, Lago Villarica, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image

Photos 3 and 4 show a male moving out of its eclipse plumage in which it looks similar to the female but more rufous and still with a red eye. All these photos were taken in the period 14th November to 11th December and I am surprised that a male was still not in full breeding plumage by that time.

Another feature of Cinnamon Teal is its large, broad-tipped bill verging towards a Shoveler's in size. It is certainly much bigger than the normal Anas bill and this may have been the reason why Cinnamon Teal used to be in a different genus called Spatula.

The 5th photo shows a female in flight.

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