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Northern Pintail Identification

Northern Pintail pair

Northern Pintail  —  Length: 21-25 inches,  Wing span: 34 inches

With its long tail and long neck accentuated by a slim, vertical white stripe, the male Northern Pintail’s appearance is often described as elegant. Northern Pintails are highly migratory, and move south early in the fall. They migrate at night at fairly low altitude, and fly at up to 65 miles per hour.

Nests of Northern Pintails are sometimes parasitized by other species of ducks or by Ring-necked Pheasants. Such nests hatch fewer eggs than unparasitized nests. Pintails can live a long time. The record age for a wild bird is over 21 years.

Northern Pintail male

Males are mostly gray, with a brown head and a white breast with a narrow white stripe extending up each side of the neck. They also have a long, pointed, black tail. Flanks with fine vermiculations.  Males in non-breeding plumage much paler, but general pattern of markings on the neck still visible. Photograph ©  Sam Crowe.

Northern Pintail female

Females are mostly brownish, with a dark gray bill and mostly unmarked brown head. Juveniles resemble females. Long neck but can be curled down. Head can be a tawny brown. Photograph ©  Alan Wilson.

Northern Pintail males

A pair of males.  Photograph ©  Sam Crowe.

Northern Pintail pair

Male and female pintails.  Note the fairly large, slopping bill.  Photograph © Sam Crowe.

Northern Pintail female

In good light, female may show rust color on the face and head. Photograph ©  Tom Grey.

Northern Pintail female

Photograph © Alan Wilson.

Northern Pintail pair in flight

Green speculum bordered by white on the trailing edge and rust on the leading edge. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.

Northern Pintail pair in flight

Female and male in flight. The long tail of the male is evident. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.

Northern Pintail male in flight

Photograph © Steve Wolfe.

Northern Pintail male in flight

A great photo of male pintail in breeding plumage.  The pink on th head is not often seen.  Photograph © Steve Wolfe.

Northern Pintail female

Underwings generally gray, may show the white trailing edge to the speculum. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

Northern Pintail

Photograph © Alan Wilson.

About the Author

Sam Crowe

Sam is the founder of Birdzilla.com. He has been birding for over 30 years and has a world list of over 2000 species. He has served as treasurer of the Texas Ornithological Society, Sanctuary Chair of Dallas Audubon, Editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" web site and as a contributing editor for Birding Business magazine. Many of his photographs and videos can be found on the site.

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