Green-winged Teal Population Analysis
Green-winged Teal has surged: up 274% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Green-winged Teal
The Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 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 665 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 30 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Green-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 Green-winged Teal. See the full index history below.
Green-winged Teal Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Green-winged Teal is projected to rise about 36% by 2030 — from 0.07 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.10 (95% range 0.04–0.17). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±67.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Green-winged Teal Is Detected
BBS routes recording Green-winged Teal, sized by most recent count.
Green-winged Teal Population Trend by State
Green-winged Teal Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| 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 → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCR 2 | -72% | 1986 | 22 |
| BCR 3 | +98% | 1996 | 4 |
| BCR 4 | +72% | 1984 | 48 |
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -39% | 1979 | 20 |
| Great Basin | +201% | 1971 | 99 |
| Northern Rockies | +19% | 1976 | 97 |
| Prairie Potholes | +69% | 1969 | 82 |
| Boreal Hardwood Transition | -4% | 1973 | 22 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -61% | 1970 | 81 |
| Badlands and Prairies | +38% | 1969 | 66 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | -36% | 1969 | 49 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -61% | 1971 | 13 |
| Prairie Hardwood Transition | -10% | 1970 | 32 |
Green-winged Teal Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 274% 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.