Northern Pintail
Anas acuta

>> GENERAL >>>>>

– medium-sized duck, roughly size of Mallard but slimmer
– nocturnal/diurnal migrant
– migrates in pairs or in small to medium flocks in loose formation
– often mixed with other ducks

>> VISUAL ID >>>>>


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M AD BREED
BIF7008, 07/01/2022, Thessaloniki, Greece, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M AD BREED
BIF7007, 07/01/2022, Thessaloniki, Greece, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M AD BREED
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea M, F
BIF2174, 23/02/2017, Bumthang, Buthan, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, F or 1CY
BIF3579, 23/08/2017, Buir Nuur, Mongolia, Mathias Putze

BIF486_MPU_I1Q7540_150211_nptail1-PA_eteal-1-M_oman_khawr-dhurf
Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M F AD BREED
Eurasian Teal A c. crecca, M AD BREED

BIF0486, 11/02/2015, Khawr Dhurf, Oman, Mathias Putze

BIF487_MPU_I1Q1591_121231_nptail-FL_merdja-zerga
Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M F AD BREED
BIF0487, 31/12/2012, Merdja Zerga, Morocco, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M (fith from right), F 1CY (third from right)
Northern Shoveler Anas clyptaea, 1CY (third from left), F AD
BIF3581, 07/09/2017, Buir Nuur, Mongolia, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M F NBREED
Garganey Anas querquedula, M F NBREED

BIF1254, 21/06/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Heiß


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M NBREED
BIF3582, 07/09/2017, Buir Nuur, Mongolia, Mathias Putze


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, NBREED
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope, M F NBREED

BIF2175, 09/10/2017, Kühlungsborn, Germany, Roland Neumann


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, M F NBREED
Garganey Anas querquedula, M F NBREED

BIF1255, 21/06/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Heiß


Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Northern Shoveler Anas clyptaea
Garganey Anas querquedula
BIF1237, 21/09/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Heiß


Northern Pintail Anas acuta, NBREED or 1CY
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus

BIF1066, 11/11/2016, North Sea, Germany, Roland Neumann

>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>

– no particular flight calls
– usually silent during diurnal migration flights
– but quite vocal during nocturnal migration (social calls, display?)
– female: nasal, typical rasping (female) duck calls
– male: short whistle, similar to Eurasian Teal, but at a lower frequency

>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>

Northern Shoveler (v)
Eurasian Teal (a)
Common Scoter (a)

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