Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Where is it found?
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Wetlands, lakes, rivers and estuaries
Diet and foraging method
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Pick up food from the ground and upend and dive in the water to pursue prey and to graze on aquatic vegetation.
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Key adaptations
Northern Pintails have a relatively long neck to allow them to reach food items deep within the water column.
Their bills have many adaptations which make them excellent at foraging underwater, including soft sensitive parts for sensing food and lamellae that filter food out of the mud.
Their bills have many adaptations which make them excellent at foraging underwater, including soft sensitive parts for sensing food and lamellae that filter food out of the mud.
Social organisation and mating system
Flocks
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Form monogamous breeding pairs.
Did you know that...?
Northern Pintails breed incredibly early and make their nest as soon as the ice thaws in Northern regions.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Northern Pintails (Male & Female) I IMG 0911" by J.M.Garg - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Pintails_(Male_%26_Female)_I_IMG_0911.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Pintails_(Male_%26_Female)_I_IMG_0911.jpg
"Anas acuta 20070302" by Adam Kumiszcza - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anas_acuta_20070302.jpg#/media/File:Anas_acuta_20070302.jpg
"Northern pintail.1" by Bert de Tilly - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_pintail.1.jpg#/media/File:Northern_pintail.1.jpg
"Norhern Pintail (Anas acuta) (01)" by Ken Billington - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norhern_Pintail_(Anas_acuta)_(01).jpg#/media/File:Norhern_Pintail_(Anas_acuta)_(01).jpg
"A acuta Anas acuta Northern Pintail" by Aomorikuma - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_acuta_Anas_acuta_Northern_Pintail.jpg#/media/File:A_acuta_Anas_acuta_Northern_Pintail.jpg
"Northern Pintails (Male & Female) I IMG 0911" by J.M.Garg - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Pintails_(Male_%26_Female)_I_IMG_0911.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Pintails_(Male_%26_Female)_I_IMG_0911.jpg
"Anas acuta 20070302" by Adam Kumiszcza - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anas_acuta_20070302.jpg#/media/File:Anas_acuta_20070302.jpg
"Northern pintail.1" by Bert de Tilly - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_pintail.1.jpg#/media/File:Northern_pintail.1.jpg
"Norhern Pintail (Anas acuta) (01)" by Ken Billington - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norhern_Pintail_(Anas_acuta)_(01).jpg#/media/File:Norhern_Pintail_(Anas_acuta)_(01).jpg
"A acuta Anas acuta Northern Pintail" by Aomorikuma - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_acuta_Anas_acuta_Northern_Pintail.jpg#/media/File:A_acuta_Anas_acuta_Northern_Pintail.jpg
