Anas acuta
The Northern Pintail is a sleek, elegant duck with a distinctive long, pointed tail. Males in breeding plumage have a chocolate-brown head, white neck, and grey body with intricate black and white patterns. Their namesake pintail is long and needle-like.
Non-breeding drakes in eclipse plumage are relatively dull, with a gray-brown body and a paler breast. Their tail is still pointed, although much shorter, and they have gray bills and legs.
Females are more subdued, with mottled brown plumage and a shorter tail. Both sexes have blue-grey bills and legs and a speculum of iridescent green bordered by white and rust.
Juveniles appear similar to adult females but have darker crowns and less mottling on the flanks and upper parts.
Length
59cm to 76cm
Wingspan
80cm to 95cm
Weight
450g to 1.36kg
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Northern Pintails inhabit a wide range of shallow wetlands, including marshes, prairie potholes, and coastal estuaries. They breed across northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.
During winter, they migrate to southern regions, including the southern United States, Mexico, and parts of Europe and Asia. They are common in wetland areas throughout the UK and Ireland during non-breeding seasons.
Birdwatchers might spot Pintails from the rare and localized breeding populations in East Anglia and western Scotland in the spring and summer.
Up to 4,000 meters
Temperate, Subarctic, Arctic
This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Northern Pintail. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.
A few things to keep in mind:
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