Species: Anas acuta

Northern Pintail

Species

Birds

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Salish Sea-reliant birds

Terrestrial vertebrates: birds

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Aves

Order

Anseriformes

Family

Anatidae

Genus

Anas

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103829

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Marreca-Arrabio - Pato Golondrino - canard pilet

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Waterfowl

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Anseriformes - Anatidae - Anas - See Livezey (1991) for a phylogenetic analysis and classification (supergenera, subgenera, infragenera, etc.) of dabbling ducks based on comparative morphology. Kerguelen Islands Duck (A. EATONI, including A. DRYGALSKII), split from A. ACUTA (AOU 1997).

Ecology and Life History

Short General Description

A duck.

Migration

false - false - true - Moves northward January-March; arrives in nesting areas in northern U.S. and Canada by early April, northern Alaska mid- to late May. Many continue north to arctic wetlands drought reduces wetlands in prairie pothole region. Migrates south beginning in early August. Arrives in Costa Rica in late September or October, departs in January or February, depending on water levels (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Males may engage in extensive migration to molting areas while females incubate (Johnson and Herter 1989).

Non-migrant

false

Locally Migrant

false

Food Comments

Eats various plants and animals, depending on availability. Feeds on seeds and nutlets of aquatic plants (sedges, grasses, pondweeds, smartweeds); also eats mollusks, crabs, minnows, worms, fairy shrimp, and aquatic insects. Animal foods important to females during prelaying and laying periods. Diet of juveniles includes mostly insects (Suchy and Anderson 1987). Dabbles for food; may also feed on waste grain in fields and marine animals on tidal flats.

Reproduction Comments

Clutch size usually 6-10 in older adults, 5-7 in yearlings. Adults nest earlier than do yearlings (Duncan 1987). Incubation 21-25 days, by female. Males abandon females early in incubation. Precocial nestlings tended by female, male usually present. Young fledge in about 6-7 weeks. Readily lays replacement clutch if first is lost. In Alaska, nutrient reserves were important in the formation of first clutches, more so than for any other duck species that has been studied (Esler and Grand, 1994, Condor 96:422-432). Northern Alaska: 0.3-1.5 nests per sq km in various locations; 1.0-1.8 nests per sq km in prairie pothole country (see Suchy and Anderson 1987).

Ecology Comments

Nonbreeding: usually in groups or small flocks associated with teals or wigeon (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Female and brood may move among different ponds during first few weeks after hatching.

Length

Weight

1035

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-11-21

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-21

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - BREEDING: Holarctic. In North America, from tundra of Alaska, Canada, western Greenland, to western and central U.S.; also in Old World. NON-BREEDING: in Western Hemisphere, from eastern and southeastern (coastal) U.S., Great Lakes, southeastern Alaska southwestern British Columbia, western and southwestern U.S. south to northern Colombia and Venezuela, rarely to Surinam, including Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Hawaii; and Old World. In the U.S. the highest winter densities occur in northern Utah (Bear River refuge) and western Texas (Muleshoe refuge) (Root 1988).

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103829