Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl Wood duck vs teal

I don't waterfowl hunt a lot, but my state has an early teal season before deer season starts up. Any suggestions on identifying teal vs wood duck? I sometimes have trouble identifying hen wood ducks from teal.

Thank you!

Teal are smaller, generally in larger groups, have a different flight pattern/style, and maybe most helpful to you is that they make different noises. Watch some videos of both in flight if you don't have a chance to observe them yourself. I think you will catch on pretty quickly. When in doubt, don't shoot and wait on the next pass/group.

Teal are typically grouped up, whereas wood ducks are often alone or in pairs. They both seem to be hauling azz when they come through.

IN keeping with a previous thread, let them land, identify, then shoot them!

Seriously, the above posts are pretty good advice. It may take a few showings to get the differences figured out but it will happen. I generally pass on the small ducks though was on a hunt last year where all but one duck taken was a teal or Woodrow. Got pretty good at telling them apart in about an hour. I actually found identifying them at a distance to be easier.

They fly differently, not by a little bit.

Shooting only drakes is a good way to learn about ducks.

Shooting hens is perfectly acceptable, yet frowned upon if lacking the skills to accurately identify species.

Teal are smaller than wood ducks and they have a tendency to drop down and then swoop up, that is when you take them. If you can't ID the ducks see, don't shoot.

Teal are smaller than wood ducks and they have a tendency to drop down and then swoop up, that is when you take them. If you can't ID the ducks see, don't shoot.

The whistle of a wood duck and the tweet of a teal are distinct identifying characteristics as well.

I agree with above too, the flight path of teal is unique once you see it a time or two.

Teal are easy to pick out - just look for something that is flying like it’s on Crack

Also, the habitat you are hunting will tilt the odds toward one or the other. This, coupled with the suggestions above, should allow for positive ID.

Wood ducks tend to have what I think of as a "flatter" flight path out in the open. Also, the wings look smaller relative to the length of head and body. If you've got good contrast against the sky the wood ducks have a distinctive head profile as well.

Great response, lol. This is very true. and often there will be many of them together, flying like there on Crack. Wood ducks are fast also. But where I hunt they are always singles or pairs. And they seem to always be flying like they are trying to get somewhere in a hurry. more like flying from point A to point B.

They are twitchy as a methhead

Wood ducks tend to have their swiveling about like they want to see everything.