Central Park Has A New Star Bird: Meet The Green-Winged Teal

CENTRAL PARK, NY — In the past few days, social media has overflowed with photos and comments about the Green-winged Teal floating around Central Park.

"Central Park's newest hot duck, the male Green-winged Teal today at the Pool," Manhattan Bird Alert, a popular bird sighting Twitter account, tweeted on Saturday.

Central Park's newest hot duck, the male Green-winged Teal today at the Pool. pic.twitter.com/GUtn1pCk79
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) November 7, 2021

"We don't get to see adult male Green-winged Teals much in Central Park, maybe not every year," the operator of Manhattan Bird Alert told Patch. "So when one does show up and give close views, it is a treat."

The bird has been spotted at the southeast side of the Central Park Reservoir and multiple times at The Pool near the West 100th Street entrance to the park.

Caught up with the Green-winged Teal at the Southeast side of Central Park Reservoir this afternoon after missing it at the Pool yesterday. Truly beautiful bird! Thanks for the many bird alerts #birdcpp #birdphotography #birdwatching #TwitterNatureCommunity pic.twitter.com/M8dSuD5h70
— Vee Nabong (@VenusNabs) November 8, 2021

Green-winged Teals do visit Central Park almost every year, but only in small numbers and are almost always either female or immature birds, which both look significantly different than the rarer adult male Green-winged Teal.

The birds breed in Canada and pass through the New York City area during migration, sometimes staying for the winter if the weather permits.

Manhattan Bird Alert's tweets about the duck have gotten thousands of likes and hundreds of retweets in recent days.

The social media posts all come with dozens of complimentary adjective comments such as "beautiful," "glorious," and "fashionable."

Here are a few fun facts about the Green-winged Teal, according to AllAboutBirds.org:

• Often rests out of the water, standing on low branches.
• Typically travels in small flocks.
• Are generally 12 to 15 inches and 4.9 to 17.6 ounces
• The Aleutian Islands of Alaska have their own race of Green-winged Teal that don't migrate.
• The oldest known Green-winged Teal was at least 20 years and 3 months.