Northern Pintail

Adult male in breeding plumage has a chocolate-brown head, white neck with a striking white stripe extending up the side of the neck, grey flanks, long black-and-white scapulars, and a long pointed tail. Females are mottled brown with a more subtle greyish-blue bill and a shorter tail.

Sleek shape, long neck, white neck stripe on the male, and the prominent elongated central tail feathers.

Length: 51-76 cm, Wingspan: 80-95 cm, Weight: 450-1360 g

Males give a soft, low-pitched whistle or double-note whistle. Females emit a low, coarse quack.

Primarily feeds on seeds of aquatic plants, grasses, grains, and aquatic invertebrates by dabbling and tipping up.

Open wetlands, shallow lakes, flooded fields, marshes, and estuaries.

Strongly migratory, traveling in flocks to wintering grounds in the southern parts of their range.

Nests on the ground in a shallow scrape lined with plant material and down, hidden in vegetation. Clutch size is typically 7-9 eggs, laid in spring.

Mallard and Eurasian Wigeon, but easily distinguished by the Northern Pintail's slender silhouette, long neck, and pointed tail.

Acts as a seed disperser and helps control aquatic invertebrates; serves as an important prey species for various predators.

IUCN Least Concern, with stable to fluctuating population trends.

Look for them in shallow wetlands, agricultural fields, and coastal marshes during early morning or late afternoon when they are active.

Northern Pintails are among the fastest and most graceful flyers of all ducks, often performing twisting aerial maneuvers when migrating.