Male green-winged teal have a distinctive cinnamon-colored head with a iridescent green stripe from the eye to the back of the head. Their body is primarily gray with a white stripe along the side and a yellow-and-black tail. Females are mottled brown with a dark eye line and a white underside. Both sexes have a bright green patch on their wings.

Male Green-winged Teal:
• Head: Cinnamon-colored with a vibrant green patch extending from the eye to the nape.
• Body: Gray, with a white stripe on the side, and a yellow-and-black tail.
• Other: Black bill and legs.

Female Green-winged Teal:
• Body: Mottled brown, resembling a smaller female mallard.
• Head: Dark eye line extending from the bill through the eye.
• Underside: Whitish.
• Other: Both sexes have a green speculum (wing patch) with white borders.