Northern Pintail

a.k.a. Pintail, Common Pintail

Anas acuta

A Northern Pintail drake
Photo courtesy of Rupert Stephenson

This handsome dabbling duck is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. Males are greyish on the back with chocolate brown head, throat and hind neck. The female head and neck is light brown, the underparts are pale to whitish and the upperparts are warm brown.

Pintails are highly social, forming huge flocks in winter and during migration.

Nests are hidden on the ground, sometimes quite a ways from any water. Incubation of the 7-9 buff-colored eggs is a little over 3 weeks.