“… there is an ecstatic mechanism in birds that makes them fly upwards in spite of worms.”

By Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Northern Pintail (Male): Have you seen this bird?

Northern Pintail

The Pintail or Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. The Northern Pintail has a large range, estimated at 10 million square kilometers.

This is a fairly large duck, with a long pointed tail that gives rise to the species’ English and scientific names.

Identification Tips:
• Length: 18.5 inches Wingspan: 35 inches
• Medium-sized dabbling duck with very long neck, small head and attenuated rear
• Juvenile similar to adult female

Adult male alternate:
• Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer
• Pale gray bill with black stripe down center
• Dark brown head
• White neck, breast and belly with white finger extending up back of neck to rear part of face
• Gray flanks and back with black centers to back feathers
• Whitish patch at rear portion of flanks bordering undertail coverts
• Black undertail coverts
• Long, black central tail feathers
• Green speculum with white rear border and chestnut forward border

Adult male basic:
• Similar to adult female but retains green speculum

Adult female:
• Gray bill
• Tan head and neck
• Mottled tan and dark brown back and body plumage, paler on belly
• Brown speculum with white rear border

Similar species:

Adult male unmistakable in alternate plumage. Females, immature and eclipse-plumage males are similar to many other female ducks but have a distinctive shape: very long-necked, small-headed and pointed-tailed. Note also female’s brown speculum bordered at the rear by white.

The Northern Pintail lives in open wetlands. It builds it’s nest on the ground, frequently some distance from water.

The bird feeds by dabbling for plant food and adds small invertebrates to its diet during the nesting season.

The Northern Pintail is highly gregarious when not breeding; forming large mixed flocks with other species of duck.