Tour of the Davis Wetlands

With the arrival of autumn, temperatures drop, days get shorter and waterfowl begin arriving from the north. Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) are North America’s smallest dabbling ducks. Males in breeding plumage have rust colored heads with a wide green patch extending from their eyes to the back of the heads and a white stripe on the sides of their breasts. The hens are mottled brown, black, and gray with thin, dark eye lines. The species is named for their bold iridescent green wing patches, known as speculums, seen on both the male and female birds. Often hidden under folded wings, the speculums are best visible in flight. Green-winged Teal’s narrow bills have tiny lamellae which aid in straining miniscule invertebrates from water and mud. They also forage by dabbling for seeds and vegetation in shallow wetlands.

All those wishing to join this free tour should meet a few minutes before 3pm at the gate in front of the Davis Wastewater Treatment Plant, east of the Yolo County landfill on Road 28H. Participants may want to bring a pair of binoculars and water (no potable water on site). Docents will have spotting scopes to enhance wildlife viewing. Most of the tour is by car on gravel roads, with a couple of optional short walks in the wetlands.

Yolo Basin Foundation works in cooperation with the City of Davis to offer tours of the Davis Wetlands. Yolo Basin Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding public appreciation and stewardship of wetlands and wildlife in the Yolo Basin through education and innovative partnerships.

Photo of Green-winged Teal by Michael Reinhart.