White-cheeked Pintail

Anas bahamensisOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: WCHP Scientific Name: ANABAH ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175078

Breeding Location:

Mudflats, Seashore, rocky or sandy, Tundra, Mangrove islands, Marshes, saltwater

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Common locally, Casual to FL coast

Egg Color:

Cream or buff, nest stained.

Number of Eggs:

5 - 12

Incubation Days:

24 - 25

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Leaves

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

White-cheeked Pintail: Large, heavily spotted dark and light brown duck with striking white cheek patches, blue bill with bright red base and buff pointed tail. Females are similar but paler. Juveniles are pale brown with faint spotting.

Range and Habitat

White-cheeked Pintail: Native of West Indies and South America, is a rare to casual visitor in southern Florida. Found near rivers, lakes, and ponds as well as costal marshes and rocky or sandy seashores.

Breeding and Nesting

White-cheeked Pintail: Five to twelve cream or buff eggs are laid in a nest near water made of leaves and concealed in grasses or weeds. Female incubates eggs for 24 to 25 days.

Foraging and Feeding

White-cheeked Pintail: Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and small invertebrates obtained by dabbling.

Vocalization

White-cheeked Pintail: Male has a squeaky call.

Similar Species

White-cheeked Pintail: Northern Pintail female lacks red spot at base of bill and white cheeks.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

White-cheeked Pintail

White-cheeked Pintail: Large, heavily spotted dark and light brown duck with striking white cheek patches, blue bill with bright red base, buff pointed tail. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Feeds on aquatic plants, small invertebrates. Swift direct flight with strong rapid wing beats. AKA Bahama Duck.

● Song: "eek, eek, eek, eek"

● Foraging & Feeding: White-cheeked Pintail: Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and small invertebrates obtained by dabbling.

● Breeding & nesting: White-cheeked Pintail: Five to twelve cream or buff eggs are laid in a nest near water made of leaves and concealed in grasses or weeds. Female incubates eggs for 24 to 25 days.

● Similar species: White-cheeked Pintail: Northern Pintail female lacks red spot at base of bill and white cheeks.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.

● Range & Habitat: White-cheeked Pintail: Native of West Indies and South America, is a rare to casual visitor in southern Florida. Found near rivers, lakes, and ponds as well as costal marshes and rocky or sandy seashores.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationCommon locally, Casual to FL coast

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight19.2 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America