COMPARISONS OF ASPECTS OF BREEDING BLUE-WINGED AND CINNAMON TEAL IN EASTERN WASHINGTON

Blue-winged (Anas discors) and Cinnamon (A. cyanoptera) teal are closely related members of the blue-winged duck group (Johnsgard 1965, McKinney 1970). Habitat selection, social behaviors, and plumages of females and juveniles of these teal species are quite similar (Johnsgard 1965, McKinney 1970, Bellrose 1976, Palmer 1976). The species' ranges overlap in many parts of the Northwest, although the Blue-winged Teal is a relatively recent pioneer in eastern Washington (Wheeler 1965, Connelly 1978). Strong similarities in ecological requirements and behavior indicate that niches of the two species must overlap, but coexistence over major portions of their breeding and wintering range suggests that differences probably exist. The purpose of this study was to examine the hypotheses that breeding time budgets, habitat selection, and social behavior were the same in the two species.