Birds of Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge #5

Cinnamon teal male and feeding female
Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
Montana


This image is among my favorite pictures of my first bird watching outing. I like the color contrast of the male's striking red-orange feathers against the blue water as well as the ripples created by their paddling about. The cinnamon teal is a "dabbling duck," meaning it feeds on the surface by dabbling its bill in the water or by upending to reach deeper. I'm always amused when I see several "duck butts" up in the air as they feed under the water.

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