The blue-winged teal duck is a small, brown dabbling duck. This species gets its name from the prominent and striking blue patch on its upper wing, which is visible during flight. However, it can be a bit difficult to differentiate between the cinnamon teal and blue-winged teal because they both look identical during fall. However, when spring starts approaching, both acquire different breeding feathers. The fast and erratic flying pattern of the blue-winged teal makes it challenging for waterfowlers to hunt them down.