This is bird note.

In spring, millions of small ducks move into shallow.

In spring, millions of small ducks move into shallow wetlands of North America, tidal

flats, sedge meadows, rice fields, sloughs, and backwaters.

When these flocks of ducks erupt from a flooded field, they reveal a

dark body with a blaze of green feathers in the wing. Their voices sound like

crickets or tiny frogs.

These are green-winged teal,

North America's smallest dabbling duck,

just over a foot long and weighing less than a pound.

As a dabbling duck, they feed from the water surface by sticking their heads underwater

without fully submerging.

Around 3 million green-winged teal breed across the northern US and Canada.

The male has a cinnamon brown head with a band of green behind the eye.

Both males and females have a green bar on the wing that gleams like an emerald when the sun strikes it.

Courtship is elaborate.

Males show off with calls and displays,

and up to 25 males may court a single female at once.

The female selects just one of her many suitors.

It's a remarkably competitive courtship ritual that plays out every year.

For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Remmel.