Blue-winged Teal

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Teal sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 143rd most-seen of the 173 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Any time of year. In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Blue-winged Teal?

Between 9 am and noon. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue-winged Teal sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a Blue-winged Teal?

49th of 62. Of the 62 parks where we can rate Blue-winged Teal sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 49th at under 5%. The best odds are in Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 60%), Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 50%) and Palo Verde National Park (Costa Rica, about 40%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the Blue-winged Teal live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Same family: Anatidae. The closest relatives of the Blue-winged Teal that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Canada Goose (about 20%) and Common Merganser (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Blue-winged Teal sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Blue-winged Teal is recorded against all the birds logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (34 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Spatula discors

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
GenusSpatula (Shovelers and Allies)
SpeciesSpatula discors (Blue-winged Teal)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In 3 days <5%

34 Verified sightings at Great Smoky Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026

14,484 In all 62 parks

April Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Blue-winged Teal

The blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) is a species of bird in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. One of the smaller members of the dabbling duck group, it occurs in North America, where it breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia, and south to northern Texas. It winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and south into the Caribbean islands and Central America.

The first formal description of the blue-winged teal was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae. He coined the binomial name Anas discors. A molecular phylogentic study comparing mitochondrial DNA sequences published in 2009 found that the genus Anas, as then defined, was non-monophyletic. The genus was subsequently split into four monophyletic genera with ten species including the blue-winged teal moved into the resurrected genus Spatula. This genus had been originally proposed by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1822. The name Spatula is the Latin for a "spoon" or "spatula". The specific epithet discors is the Latin for "different" or "at variance".

The blue-winged teal is 40 cm (16 in) long, with a wingspan of 58 cm... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Alarm call0:22

Canada · 2022

Song0:10

Colombia · 2019

Call0:05

United States · 2017

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 22 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
2	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
3	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
4	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
5	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
6	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
7	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
8	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~20%
9	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~20%
10	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
11	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
12	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
13	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
14	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
15	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
16	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~10%
17	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
18	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
19	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
20	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
21	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
22	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
23	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
24	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
25	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
26	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
27	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
28	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
29	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
30	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
31	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
32	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
35	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
36	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
37	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
38	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
40	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
41	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
42	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
43	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
44	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
45	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
46	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
47	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
49	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
50	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
51	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
52	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
53	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
54	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
55	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
56	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
57	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
58	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
59	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
60	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
61	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
62	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	León	🇲🇽 México	~30%
2	Bogota	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
3	San Luis Potosí	🇲🇽 México	~20%
4	Mexico City	🇲🇽 México	~10%
5	Miami	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
6	Panama City	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
7	Calgary	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
8	Edmonton	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
9	San Diego	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
10	Los Angeles	🇺🇸 United States	~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	National Zoological Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Ecomuseum Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
3	Columbus Zoo and Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Sedgwick County Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
5	Parque y Zoológico Nacional Arquitecto Manuel Valverde Podestá	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	In captivity
6	Phoenix Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
7	The Maryland Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
8	Xcaret	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
9	Dakota Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Saint Louis Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
11	Centro Cicogne e Anatidi	🇮🇹 Italy	In captivity
12	Cologne Zoological Garden	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
13	Aviario Nacional de Colombia	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
14	Zoológico Thomas Belt	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	In captivity
15	Tracy Aviary	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
16	Aquarium of the Americas	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Florida Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
18	Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
19	Texas State Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
20	Cologne Zoo Aquarium	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
21	Les Oiseaux du Marais Poitevin	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
22	Ogród Zoologiczny w Katowicach	🇵🇱 Poland	In captivity

Show all 22 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Branta canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Mergus merganser

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aix sponsa

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Bucephala albeola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lophodytes cucullatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cairina moschata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aythya collaris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anas carolinensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cygnus olor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Teal sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 143rd most-seen of the 173 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Blue-winged Teal?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue-winged Teal sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a Blue-winged Teal?

49th of 62

Of the 62 parks where we can rate Blue-winged Teal sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 49th at under 5%. The best odds are in Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 60%), Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 50%) and Palo Verde National Park (Costa Rica, about 40%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Blue-winged Teal live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Same family: Anatidae

The closest relatives of the Blue-winged Teal that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Canada Goose (about 20%) and Common Merganser (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Blue-winged Teal sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Blue-winged Teal is recorded against all the birds logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (34 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Blue-winged Teal

About the Blue-winged Teal

Sounds

Recent sightings of Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Canada Goose

Common Merganser

Mallard

Wood Duck

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Muscovy Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Green-winged Teal

Mute Swan

American Crow

Carolina Wren

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

When is the best time to see a Blue-winged Teal in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

What time of day is best to see a Blue-winged Teal?

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a Blue-winged Teal?

Which relatives of the Blue-winged Teal live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Where does the Blue-winged Teal sighting chance come from?