Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Northern Pintail
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Anas acuta
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Voice
Call
Call
Song
How to recognize it
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Up to 76 cm long — male, including tail
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Slender profile and long neck; male with a long pointed tail
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Breeding male with a chestnut head, white stripe down the neck and white underparts; female mottled brown
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Fast flight, wings held slightly swept back
About the species
In breeding plumage, the male has a chocolate-brown head, a narrow white stripe running down the neck, and mostly white underparts against a grey back and sides. His long central tail feathers taper to a point, while the warm brown female is mottled and scalloped rather than sharply marked. She has a long neck too, but a much shorter pointed tail. Both have blue-grey bills that can look pale against the water.
In shallow water, it tips forward to reach food below the surface, using its long neck instead of diving; it rarely goes fully underwater. Males give a soft "proop-proop" whistle, while females make a gentler, descending quack. Outside the breeding season, it gathers in large flocks, often mixing with other ducks.
Look for it on open wetlands—marshes, lake edges, wet grasslands and tundra—rather than shaded, wooded water. It feeds on seeds and other plant matter, adding small invertebrates during the breeding season. Most migrate south for winter, sometimes as far as the tropics, and return north to nest on the ground among vegetation, often some distance from water.
Where to find
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In spring and summer, look in shallow open lakes for Northern Pintails upending to feed from the bottom, mainly in the evening.
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Outside the breeding season, look for large mixed flocks in sheltered estuaries, brackish marshes and coastal lagoons.
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In autumn and winter, watch for feeding on grain and seeds in harvested fields.
