Cinnamon Teal

Description:

The cinnamon teal is about 14-17 inches long and has a wingspan of about two feet. The female has a light brown head and neck, a gray bill and brown eyes. Her breast and sides are brown and streaked with darker V-shaped spots, her upperparts are brown and her belly is white. She has a light blue shoulder patch on her upper wings with a white band of feathers under the patch and a strip of green feathers at the edge of the wing. The male cinnamon teal has a bright cinnamon-colored head, neck, stomach and sides. He has a black bill, yellow legs and feet and red eyes. His wing makings are the same as the female's markings but his shoulder patch is a darker blue.

Habitat:

The Sweetwater Wetlands is a water treatment facility, an urban wildlife habitat, and an outdoor classroom. As a water treatment facility, it is one of the most important facets of the City's Reclaimed Water System. Treated water filters through sediments beneath recharged basins and replenishes the local aquifer. This reclaimed wastewater is recovered by extraction wells during periods of high water demand and distributed for reuse in Tucson's golf courses, parks, schools and other large turf irrigation areas. As an urban wildlife habitat, the Sweetwater Wetlands is a tranquil park where visitors can view native wildlife in an urban setting. This water-rich streamside riparian zone supports a huge variety of wildlife including dragonflies, raccoons, hawks, bobcats and dozens of other species that make the wetlands their full- or part-time home. As an outdoor classroom, the Sweetwater Wetlands provides an environmental, educational experience in natural laboratory settings for teaching about ecology and water resource management. The wetlands helps establish and enhance the wildlife population in harmony with Tucson's urban environment.