Northern Pintail

The Northern Pintail is a slender, long-necked dabbling duck found across much of the Northern Hemisphere, breeding in prairie potholes, tundra wetlands, and open marshes, then wintering across a very broad range on lakes, estuaries, and flooded agricultural fields.

Its most famous feature is the male's elongated central tail feathers, which extend well beyond the rest of the tail and give the species its name; these narrow, pointed black feathers are unmistakable if found on their own.

Beyond the tail, males show a rich chocolate-brown head with a clean white stripe running up the side of the neck, long black-and-cream scapular feathers over a grey body, while females are a more camouflaged mottled brown but still show the same slender, pointed tail shape, if shorter, along with a distinctive grey-blue bill.

Size and shape

• Male central tail feathers are long, narrow, and pointed, extending noticeably past the rest of the tail, unlike any other common dabbling duck
• Long, drooping black-and-cream scapular (shoulder) feathers unique to breeding males
• Overall body shape slender and long-necked compared to bulkier dabbling ducks

Color and pattern

• Male head feathers rich chocolate-brown, with a crisp white stripe running from the breast up the side of the neck
• Male body feathers finely vermiculated grey, with long black-and-cream scapulars overlying the folded wing
• Speculum feathers bronze-green, bordered with buff in front and white behind
• Female body feathers mottled brown overall, with a shorter but still pointed tail shape and a plainer bronze speculum with less contrast

Distinguishing from similar species

• The long, pointed central tail feathers of the male are unmatched by any other common dabbling duck and are diagnostic on their own
• Female Pintails can be told from other mottled dabblers by their slender build, pointed tail, and grey-blue bill lacking strong orange tones

Breeding males are strikingly patterned, with a chocolate-brown head, white neck stripe, grey vermiculated body, and long black tail streamers. Females are mottled brown overall for camouflage, with a more subdued bronze speculum. Males undergo an eclipse molt after breeding, briefly resembling females and losing the elongated tail feathers, before regrowing full breeding plumage. All Pintails go through a flightless period during wing molt, as in other ducks.

Breeds across the prairie pothole region of North America, as well as tundra and steppe wetlands of Europe and Asia. It winters very widely, including coastal estuaries, flooded rice fields, reservoirs, and open marshes across a broad latitudinal range. Most populations are strongly migratory, undertaking long-distance movements between breeding and wintering grounds.

Feeds by dabbling and up-ending in shallow water, taking aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates, and readily foraging in flooded agricultural fields during migration and winter. Nests on the ground, often in fairly open, sparse cover compared to some other ducks. Voice includes soft whistled calls from males and a Mallard-like quack from females. The long tail streamers make males easy to identify even at a distance or from a single dropped feather.