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.
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.
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.
A pair of males. Photograph © Sam Crowe.
Male and female pintails. Note the fairly large, slopping bill. Photograph © Sam Crowe.
In good light, female may show rust color on the face and head. Photograph © Tom Grey.
Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Green speculum bordered by white on the trailing edge and rust on the leading edge. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.
Female and male in flight. The long tail of the male is evident. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.
Photograph © Steve Wolfe.
A great photo of male pintail in breeding plumage. The pink on th head is not often seen. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.
Underwings generally gray, may show the white trailing edge to the speculum. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Photograph © Alan Wilson.