16 inches long with a wingspan of 23.0 inches. The Cinnamon Teal is a small dabbling duck. When seen perched or swimming the male has an all cinnamon body with red-orange eyes. The female Cinnamon Teal has a rich brown mottled body. It is similar to a female Blue-winged Teal but has a richer brown body and less white on the feathers at the base of the bill.
The Cinnamon Teal is a bird of the west and is casual in the Midwest. It is very rarely seen in the Forest. Eli Weber discovered a male bird on North Stream Trail on April 2, 2023. That was the first forest sighting in 14 years.
The Cinnamon Teal is known to interbreed with Blue-winged Teals. The male a chattering call while the female gives a nasal “quack”.
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