Hawaii Bird Guide
Cinnamon Teal
The cinnamon teal is a small wetland duck, with males showing warm reddish feathers and females blending quietly into marsh grass.
Cinnamon Teal Overview
The cinnamon teal is a small duck found in ponds, marshes and quiet wetland areas. Adult males are easy to recognize during breeding season, with a reddish head and body, brown back, dark bill and red eye. Females are more subtle, with brown plumage, brown eyes and a gray bill.
Like many wetland birds, cinnamon teals depend on calm water, marsh plants and shallow feeding areas. They belong to the migratory waterfowl group, so sightings can vary by season and location. In Hawaii, they fit into the same wetland bird world as the Hawaiian stilt, Hawaiian moorhen, cattle egret and black-crowned night heron.
Markings and Behavior
Cinnamon teals usually choose new mates each year. Their colors make males stand out more than females, especially when the sun catches the warm reddish feathers. Females are easier to overlook, but their brown coloring helps them stay hidden near reeds, grasses and muddy edges.
Look for cinnamon teals in still or slow-moving wetland habitats rather than busy ocean beaches. They are not flashy in the loud, tropical-bird way, but their color, small size and quiet marsh habitat make them a nice find for patient birdwatchers.
