A Hidden Gem of Wingspan Oceania Expansion: Grey Teal
Grey Teal is a bird that I’ve overlooked in the past, and I suspect that others may have as well. I haven’t seen anyone talk about this bird across the various Wingspan communities. I can’t help but wonder why.
Grey Teal’s brown power is pretty amazing. Looking at three cards off the deck and keeping one Wetland bird is pretty good on its own.
What helps to elevate this power to the next level is that you can tuck the card if it’s a dud. This adds a silver lining to a bad draw. The worst-case scenario is that you see zero Wetlands birds and get nothing.
As of the Oceania Expansion, 48% of birds can live in the Wetlands. That means there’s about a 86% chance of seeing one off Grey Teal’s power in the early game when the deck has the most cards in it. Choice Wetland targets include:
- Killdeer
- Franklin’s Gull
- Common Raven
- Bonelli’s Eagle
- Barn Swallow
- House Finch
- White Stork
- Black-Headed Gull
Something we can learn from the European Expansion cards White Stork, White-Throated Dipper, and Black-Throated Diver is that looking at three cards and keeping one is a pretty powerful effect.
In addition to this great power, Grey Teal is worth two points and comes with a whopping five-point nest, which makes it a great egg bank. Bird Counter makes this play even better with an extra two points.
Check out Wingspan Oceania Expansion on the Stonemaier Games Blog
