Robin Myers, age 10, of Providence, R.I., for her question:
WHERE DOES THE TEAL GO IN WINTER?
In many parts of the world you'll find a small duck called the teal. The most common teals in North America are the green winged, the blue winged and the cinnamon teals. They usually breed in Canada and the Northern United States and migrate south in winter, often to Mexico.
Teals are all surface feeding ducks and never dip into water more than a short distance for food. They live mostly near ponds, streams and marshes. Unlike diving birds, they keep their tail feathers completely out of the water when they swim, and can take to the air immediately when frightened.
The green winged, the smallest teal, may reach only 13 to 15 inches in length. The male is gray with a brown head and a speckled breast. Green patches color the wings and the head. The female is more plainly colored. The male makes sharp and mellow whistles.
The blue winged teal is 15 to 16 inches long. Except for a blue patch on the front of its wing and a white spot on its face, the male is dull in color.
The cinnamon teal is about 16 inches long. The male has dark cinnamon red plumage and blue patches on its wings.