Blue-winged Teal Population Analysis
Blue-winged Teal has edged down: down 14% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Blue-winged Teal
The Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) is a North American member of the Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (Anatidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the waterfowl.
- Size
- 12–43.5 in long (30–110 cm) — a medium to large waterfowl (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, dabbled at the surface or dived for.
- Range
- Recorded on 989 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 44 states, most concentrated in the Prairie Potholes.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Blue-winged Teal TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
No notable trend signals for Blue-winged Teal. See the full index history below.
Blue-winged Teal Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Blue-winged Teal is projected to rise about 54% by 2030 — from 0.25 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.39 (95% range 0.17–0.61). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±14.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Blue-winged Teal Is Detected
BBS routes recording Blue-winged Teal, sized by most recent count.
Blue-winged Teal Population Trend by State
| TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology → | Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology → | Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Alaska | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Arizona | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Arkansas | -17% | 1976 | 9 |
| California | +165% | 1975 | 18 |
| Colorado | +30% | 1972 | 65 |
| Delaware | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Florida | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Idaho | -46% | 1971 | 24 |
| Illinois | -80% | 1969 | 32 |
| Indiana | -21% | 1971 | 20 |
| Iowa | +38% | 1969 | 26 |
| Kansas | -87% | 1969 | 35 |
| Kentucky | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Louisiana | -96% | 1975 | 15 |
| Maine | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Maryland | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Massachusetts | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Michigan | -76% | 1969 | 46 |
| Minnesota | -69% | 1969 | 73 |
| Mississippi | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Missouri | insufficient data | n/a | 9 |
| Montana | +15% | 1970 | 70 |
| Nebraska | +182% | 1969 | 50 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| New Hampshire | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| New Mexico | -94% | 1977 | 9 |
| New York | -50% | 1970 | 27 |
| North Dakota | +105% | 1969 | 50 |
| Ohio | -58% | 1968 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | +30% | 1976 | 25 |
| Oregon | -87% | 1972 | 23 |
| Pennsylvania | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Rhode Island | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| South Dakota | -60% | 1969 | 51 |
| Tennessee | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Texas | +192% | 1969 | 57 |
| Utah | -55% | 1995 | 13 |
| Vermont | -61% | 1971 | 4 |
| Virginia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Washington | -72% | 1974 | 38 |
| West Virginia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Wisconsin | -86% | 1968 | 67 |
| Wyoming | -37% | 1972 | 68 |
Blue-winged Teal Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Blue-winged Teal Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 14% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.