Class Aves
Order Waterfowl
Family Ducks, Geese and Swans
Genus Anas

North American field guide

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

66-76 cm (26-30") Common and widespread; more common in the west. Lakes, bays, marshes, ponds, agricultural fields in winter. Slender, long-necked, surface feeding duck with a long pointed tail.

Male: chocolate brown head; white neck and breast with white line extending up side of head; gray sides and wings; dark bill. In flight, long neck; white line on dark head; long, pointed wings; white border on trailing edge of brown speculum.

Female: plain light brown head and neck; darker mottled brown body; uniformly gray or blue bill. In flight, long neck; long, pointed wings; long wedge-shaped tail; white border on trailing edge of brown speculum; brown wing linings contrast with white belly.

Song: mellow whistle, quacks.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

6 photos

Credit: Teddy Llovet

Credit: Jason Crotty

Credit: Chuq Von Rospach

Credit: Rick Leche

Credit: Henry T. McLin

Credit: Rick Leche

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Northern Pintail courtship

Credit: The24Keeps

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Northern Pintail (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 7

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:719-northern-pintail-female:1:1 Source: 719 Northern Pintail (Female), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 4

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:719-northern-pintail-female:2:1 Source: 719 Northern Pintail (Female), row 2

Northern Pintail (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 7

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:718-northern-pintail-male:1:1 Source: 718 Northern Pintail (Male), row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 4

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:718-northern-pintail-male:2:1 Source: 718 Northern Pintail (Male), row 2