Cinnamon Teal Have Been Plentiful This Spring On The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Cinnamon teal are one of the most beautiful ducks in nature in my opinion. The drakes are vibrant and very colorful and their spring mating display is quite unique.
This year on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge cinnamon teal seem to be most plentiful. Each and every time I drive the auto tour route I find numerous pairs of cinnamon teal along the gravely road. One particular spot on the refuge, however, has been a gold mine for photographing and observing these strikingly beautiful ducks.
I admit when I come to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge my eyes usually start searching the marsh for american white pelicans, american avocets and great blue herons. But this year I have found fewer of these bird species and more of the cinnamon teal so lately my attention has been given to this particular breed of waterfowl.
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is undergoing an upgrade this year with one of its water control structures. As a result, a portion of the self-guided auto tour route is being dried out so construction crews and heavy equipment can get in there later this summer and remove and replace the large concrete structure.
But even though a portion of the refuge is dry there is still plenty to see on the northern part of refuge auto tour route. This is where I have been finding mating pairs of cinnamon teal roosting and displaying close to the road.
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It is also where I was able to capture these two images of a resting drake cinnamon teal.
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a very important piece of habitat for the cinnamon teal. It has been reported the refuge and adjoining Great Salt Lake marshes hold up to 60% of the continental breeding population each summer.
As a result, the refuge has dedicated some of it’s management efforts and habitat to help protect the cinnamon teal. It is one of the priority species the refuge directly manages part of the large, nearly 80,000 acre, marsh for.
There are a great variety of birds to watch and photograph on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge this spring and the cinnamon teal is one of the more colorful ducks one can find on the refuge at this time.
