Cinammon Teal
Anas cyanoptera
Cinammon Teals are in the group of dabbling ducks that generally hunt from the water's surface (as opposed to the diving ducks that generally hunt by diving deeper underwater). Examples of other dabblers besides the teals are the wigeons, pintails, and mallards; all of these are typically found in shallower rather than deeper waters--smaller inland ponds, marshes. The male Cinammon Teal on the left was observed at Damon Slough, in a marshy part of the MLK Regional Shoreline in Oakland, CA on Dec. 17, 2014. There were a number of others of the same species, including some young ones, in the same waters. The red eye of the male is distinctive, when seen at the right angle. The male Cinammon Teal on the right was observed in Polecat Creek in the Grand Tetons, WY. Note its subtle display of the beautiful blue on its wing. (Click on images to see enlarged versions.)