General

Northern Pintail: Large, long-necked dabbling duck with gray and black upperparts, white neck and underparts, and gray sides. Head, throat, and nape are rich brown; a distinct white stripe divides front and back of neck. Wings are gray with glossy green speculum bordered with cinnamon-brown above and white below. Tail is black, long, and pointed. Bill is slender and pale gray; legs and feet are gray. Female is mottled gray-brown overall with gray wings, plain brown head, pointed but shorter tail, and dark gray bill. Juvenile resembles female but is paler brown. Eclipse male is gray overall with buff-brown head and paler neck.

Range and Habitat

Northern Pintail: Breeds from Alaska and Labrador south to California, Nebraska, and Maine. Spends winters south to Central America and the West Indies; also in Eurasia. Preferred habitats include marshes, prairie ponds, tundra, and sometimes salt marshes.

Breeding and Nesting

Northern Pintail: Three to twelve olive green, olive buff, or cream eggs are laid in a shallow ground nest made of grass and lined with down, often some distance from water. Incubation ranges from 22 to 25 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Northern Pintail: Feeds primarily on vegetation, algae, seeds, and insects; forages in shallow water by dabbling.

Vocalization

Northern Pintail: Utters a weak, nasal "geee" and a double-noted, whistled "pruh" or "prripp."

Similar Species

Northern Pintail: Long-tailed Duck has white face patch.