Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) is found in the wetlands, and is a common and widespread
winter visitor in India. Derived from the Latin word "acus" meaning "needle", the species name, acuta,
refers to their characteristic sharply-pointed "pintail". Springing into flight from the water's
surface, these ducks do not require a running take-off and are distinguished in the air by their line
formation.
Local names: Seenkhpar, Sand Size: upto-70 cm
Identification: These slim, elegant ducks have long, narrow, pointed wings, long necks and very
long, slender and tapering tails. Sexes different. Adult males have a rich,
chocolate brown head stripe, running from the top of the crown to the bottom of
the nape. The remainder of the face and the top of the throat are a solid,
lighter brown save for the distinctive line of bright white that creeps up the
back of the neck towards the head. The brown head and throat sharply contrast
with the stark white of the lower throat, breast, belly and flanks. In males,
the black, central tail-feathers extend far beyond the rest of the long,
wedge-shaped tail. The female is a nondescript, mottled brown overall, although
the neck and head are slightly paler than the rest of the body. Though the
female also has a relatively long, wedge-shaped tail, it lacks the extended
central feathers of the male. Both sexes display a dark, brownish speculum
(swatch of color on the leading edges of the wings) and a uniformly bluish-gray bill.
Habitat: Found at lakes, reservoirs and marshes; one of the commonest migratory species in
North India. Highly gregarious, keeps in flocks up to hundreds, arrives in North India by
September-October and departs by end of March. Common and widely distributed winter visitor to whole of India.
Calls: The female Northern Pintail produces a quiet, hoarse quacking. Courting males give a
high, wiry and drawn-out "Zoeeeaaaa" call. They also make short, melodious, mellow whistled "pruded" or "toop" notes.
Nests: Although Northern Pintails are dabbling ducks, they seldom nest
near water. The female builds the nest in wallowed out ground depressions
(scrapes) on dryer portions of their habitat. Concealed by high grass and
stubble, the nest is filled with dry grasses and leaves. Lined with fine
materials, the soft nest is safe haven for the 6-12, 54 mm, olive green eggs of
the clutch. The female alone incubates the clutch for 22-25 days as the male
deserts her early in incubation. As incubation progresses, additional down is
added to the nest to insulate the clutch. Young birds fledge in 36-57 days
post-hatching and are reared by the female. If the nest is threatened, the
female feigns injury to distract the threat while the offspring scatter. When
the young are well hidden, the female flies away.
Food: Northern Pintails forage in both freshwater and on land. Ninety
percent of their diet is composed of vegetation, including seeds, aquatic
plants, sedges, grains and wild rice. In freshwater, they primarily feed upon
the leafy parts of aquatic plants, aquatic insects, tadpoles, snails and other
aquatic invertebrates by picking food from the surface of freshwater shallows
(ponds and marshes). By "dabbling," floating on the water's surface and abruptly
pivoting headfirst and downward into the water while raising their hindquarters
above water, these ducks are able to reach submerged aquatic plants and animals
on the muddy bottom. On land, these ducks graze like geese on grasses, grains
and seeds of open fields.
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