Northern Pintail

Also known as Pintail, Sprig, European Pintail

Northern pintails are slender, elegant dabbling ducks recognized by the long, pointed central tail feathers of breeding males, along with their chocolate-brown heads and distinctive white neck stripes. They feed in shallow wetlands by dipping their long necks underwater to reach aquatic plant roots, seeds, and small invertebrates. High-speed fliers, these long-distance migrants undertake sweeping seasonal journeys across continents to reach their breeding and wintering grounds.