Waterfowl hunters and bird watchers know spring is a good time to spot ducks, geese and shorebirds that you might not see other times of year. This pair of cinnamon teal is a good example. Cinnamon teal are not commonly seen in Southwest Idaho, but these were hanging out at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. Cinnamon teal seem to be more commonly seen at higher elevations, like around Centennial Marsh near Fairfield and Silver Creek near Picabo. The males have a distinct color that reflects the name, but females are more drab and difficult to distinguish between other females of the teal species.
Roger Phillips / rphillips@idahostatesman.com