Bird of the week: Green-winged teal

Smaller than a mallard, the green-winged teal is a "dabbling duck" that feeds on vegetation not by diving, but by tipping forward. The female, l., is generally brown, while the male has a white stripe from the water line to its shoulder, with a green patch from its eye and down its neck. These birds can be seen in Drayton Harbor and Birch Bay, where the photo was taken. Look for them during the Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival, March 14-16. For more information, visit wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com.