Northern Pintail, Male, Anus acuta
'Dabbling beauty'. Here for the winter, the beautiful Northern Pintail, a male pictured here at the waters edge, East Anglia.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Pintail Notes:-
When spotting the pintail in winter, look out for the fabulous, long tail feathers that characterise it. This dabbling duck feeds at the water's surface, rather than diving for food.
Species information
Category: Waterfowl
Statistics
Length: 55-65cm
Wingspan: 88cm
Weight: 700-900g
Average lifespan: 3 years
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
When to see: January to December
About
The pintail is an uncommon dabbling duck, which rarely breeds in the UK and is most likely to be seen during the winter when it can be found with other ducks. Larger numbers gather on selected sheltered estuaries, such as the Wash and the Dee Estuary. Like all dabbling ducks, pintails feed at the surface rather than diving for their food. They eat plant food when dabbling, but will supplement their diet with insects and molluscs in the breeding season.
How to identify
The pintail is easily distinguished by its long, pointed tail feathers. Males have a chestnut-coloured head, white neck and grey body, while females are mottled brown with smaller, pointed tails. Pintails also have a long, graceful neck.
Distribution
Mainly a winter visitor to coasts and estuaries. Small numbers nest here, particularly in northern Scotland.
Habitats: FreshwaterCoastalWetlands
Did you know?
The oldest pintail was recorded as living to 27 years of age! Normally, these ducks live for an average of about three years, breeding after a year. Pintails will lay up to nine eggs in a concealed nest on the ground, some distance from the water. At best, only a third of their clutch will live long enough to breed themselves - the chicks are vulnerable to predators such as foxes, crows, magpies and birds of prey. WT Notes.
Key information
Slightly bigger than a mallard, these long-necked and small-headed ducks fly with a curved back pointed wings and a tapering tail, making this the best way to distinguish them from other ducks in the UK.
The pintail is a 'quarry' species, meaning that it can be legally shot in winter, but - unlike in parts of Europe - it does not appear that shooting is affecting their population status in the UK. The small breeding population and significant winter population make them an Amber List species.
What they eat:
A variety of plants and invertebrates.
Measurements:
Length:63-70cm
Wingspan:80-95cm
Weight:0.55 to 2.2 kgPopulation:
UK breeding:9-33 pairs
UK wintering:29,000 birds
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
RSPB Notes.
Northern Pintail, Male, Anus acuta
'Dabbling beauty'. Here for the winter, the beautiful Northern Pintail, a male pictured here at the waters edge, East Anglia.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Pintail Notes:-
When spotting the pintail in winter, look out for the fabulous, long tail feathers that characterise it. This dabbling duck feeds at the water's surface, rather than diving for food.
Species information
Category: Waterfowl
Statistics
Length: 55-65cm
Wingspan: 88cm
Weight: 700-900g
Average lifespan: 3 years
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
When to see: January to December
About
The pintail is an uncommon dabbling duck, which rarely breeds in the UK and is most likely to be seen during the winter when it can be found with other ducks. Larger numbers gather on selected sheltered estuaries, such as the Wash and the Dee Estuary. Like all dabbling ducks, pintails feed at the surface rather than diving for their food. They eat plant food when dabbling, but will supplement their diet with insects and molluscs in the breeding season.
How to identify
The pintail is easily distinguished by its long, pointed tail feathers. Males have a chestnut-coloured head, white neck and grey body, while females are mottled brown with smaller, pointed tails. Pintails also have a long, graceful neck.
Distribution
Mainly a winter visitor to coasts and estuaries. Small numbers nest here, particularly in northern Scotland.
Habitats: FreshwaterCoastalWetlands
Did you know?
The oldest pintail was recorded as living to 27 years of age! Normally, these ducks live for an average of about three years, breeding after a year. Pintails will lay up to nine eggs in a concealed nest on the ground, some distance from the water. At best, only a third of their clutch will live long enough to breed themselves - the chicks are vulnerable to predators such as foxes, crows, magpies and birds of prey. WT Notes.
Key information
Slightly bigger than a mallard, these long-necked and small-headed ducks fly with a curved back pointed wings and a tapering tail, making this the best way to distinguish them from other ducks in the UK.
The pintail is a 'quarry' species, meaning that it can be legally shot in winter, but - unlike in parts of Europe - it does not appear that shooting is affecting their population status in the UK. The small breeding population and significant winter population make them an Amber List species.
What they eat:
A variety of plants and invertebrates.
Measurements:
Length:63-70cm
Wingspan:80-95cm
Weight:0.55 to 2.2 kgPopulation:
UK breeding:9-33 pairs
UK wintering:29,000 birds
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
RSPB Notes.