This duck… can launch straight into the air without a running start.
In the quiet marshes and shallow wetlands of the Northern Hemisphere, the Green-winged Teal slips across the water with quick, nimble movements. It feeds by dabbling at the surface, picking seeds, aquatic plants, and tiny invertebrates with rapid precision. What makes it extraordinary is its explosive takeoff — bursting upward almost vertically when startled, vanishing from the water in a heartbeat. A small duck of swift reflexes, yet a master of sudden escape.
Green-winged Teal 👇
