Northern pintail: Difference between revisions

Northern pintail
	Male and female (left–right); Callⓘ
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Anas
Species:	A. acuta
Binomial name
	Anas acuta; Linnaeus, 1758
	Range of A. acuta Breeding Passage Non-breeding Vagrant (seasonality uncertain)
Synonyms
	Dafila acuta

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Anas acuta

The pintail or northern pintail (Anas acuta) is a duck species with wide geographic distribution that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and North America. It is migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical subspecies if the possibly conspecific duck Eaton's pintail is considered to be a separate species.

This is a large duck, and the male's long central tail feathers give rise to the species' English and scientific names. Both sexes have blue-grey bills and grey legs and feet. The drake is more striking, having a thin white stripe running from the back of its chocolate-coloured head down its neck to its mostly white undercarriage. The drake also has attractive grey, brown, and black patterning on its back and sides. The hen's plumage is more subtle and subdued, with drab brown feathers similar to those of other female dabbling ducks. Hens make a coarse quack and the drakes a flute-like whistle.

The northern pintail is a bird of open wetlands which nests on the ground, often some distance from water. It feeds by dabbling for plant food and adds small invertebrates to its diet during the nesting season. It is highly gregarious when not breeding, forming large mixed flocks with other species of duck. This duck's population is affected by predators, parasites and avian diseases. Human activities, such as agriculture, hunting and fishing, have also had a significant impact on numbers. Nevertheless, owing to the huge range and large population of this species, it is not threatened globally.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Anas acuta.^[2] The scientific name comes from two Latin words: anas, meaning "duck", and acuta, which comes from the verb acuere, "to sharpen"; the species term like the English name, refers to the pointed tail of the male in breeding plumage.^[3] Within the large dabbling duck genus Anas,^[2] the northern pintail's closest relatives are other pintails, such as the yellow-billed pintail (A. georgica) and Eaton's pintail (A. eatoni). The pintails are sometimes separated in the genus Dafila (described by Stephens, 1824), an arrangement supported by morphological, molecular and behavioural data.^[4]^[5]^[6] The famous British ornithologist Sir Peter Scott gave this name to his daughter, the artist Dafila Scott.^[7]

Eaton's pintail has two subspecies, A. e. eatoni (the Kerguelen pintail) of Kerguelen Islands, and A. e. drygalskyi (the Crozet pintail) of Crozet Islands, and was formerly considered conspecific with the Northern Hemisphere's northern pintail. Sexual dimorphism is much less marked in the southern pintails, with the male's breeding appearance being similar to the female plumage. Unusually for a species with such a large range, northern pintail has no geographical subspecies if Eaton's pintail is treated as a separate species.^[8]

A claimed extinct subspecies from Manra Island, Tristram's pintail, A. a. modesta, appears to be indistinguishable from the nominate form.^[9] The three syntype specimens of Dafila modesta Tristram (Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1886, p.79. pl. VII), the extinct subspecies, are held in the vertebrate zoology collections of National Museums Liverpool at World Museum, with accession numbers NML-VZ T11792 (male immature), NML-VZ T11795 (female adult) and NML-VZ T11797 (female adult).^[10] The specimens were collected by J. V. Arundel in Sydney Island (Manra Island), Phoenix Islands in 1885 and came to the Liverpool national collection via Canon Henry Baker Tristram's collection which was purchased in 1896.^[10]

Description

The northern pintail is a fairly large duck with a wing chord of 23.6–28.2 cm (9.3–11.1 in) and wingspan of 80–95 cm (31–37 in).^[11] The male is 59–76 cm (23–30 in) in length and weighs 450–1,360 g (0.99–3.00 lb), and therefore is considerably larger than the female, which is 51–64 cm (20–25 in) long and weighs 454–1,135 g (1.001–2.502 lb).^[12] The northern pintail broadly overlaps in size with the similarly widespread mallard, but is more slender, elongated and gracile, with a relatively longer neck and (in males) a longer tail. The unmistakable breeding plumaged male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area. The vent area is yellow, contrasting with the black underside of the tail,^[8] which has the central feathers elongated to as much as 10 cm (3.9 in). The bill is bluish and the legs are blue-grey.^[13]

The adult female is mainly scalloped and mottled in light brown with a more uniformly grey-brown head, and its pointed tail is shorter than the male's; it is still easily identified by its shape, long neck, and long grey bill.^[8] In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake pintail looks similar to the female, but retains the male upperwing pattern and long grey shoulder feathers. Juvenile birds resemble the female, but are less neatly scalloped and have a duller brown speculum with a narrower trailing edge.^[14]

The pintail walks well on land, and swims well.^[8] In water, the swimming posture is forward leaning, with the base of the neck almost flush with the water.^[13] It has a very fast flight, with its wings slightly swept-back, rather than straight out from the body like other ducks. In flight, the male shows a black speculum bordered white at the rear and pale rufous at the front, whereas the female's speculum is dark brown bordered with white, narrowly at the front edge but very prominently at the rear, being visible at a distance of 1,600 m (1 mi).^[14]

The male's call is a soft proop-proop whistle, similar to that of the common teal, whereas the female has a mallard-like descending quack, and a low croak when flushed.^[8]

Northern pintail female wingspan
Northern pintail male in flight
Northern pintail female
Male in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
Male in California, U.S.
Male flying above Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming
Female in flight, California, US

Distribution and habitat

This dabbling duck breeds across northern areas of the Palearctic south to about Poland and Mongolia,^[12] and in Canada, Alaska and the Midwestern United States. It mainly winters south of its breeding range, reaching almost to the equator in Panama, northern sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South Asia. Small numbers migrate to Pacific islands, particularly Hawaii, where a few hundred birds winter on the main islands in shallow wetlands and flooded agricultural habitats.^[8] Transoceanic journeys also occur: a bird that was caught and ringed in Labrador, Canada, was shot by a hunter in England nine days later,^[12] and Japanese-ringed birds have been recovered from six US states east to Utah and Mississippi.^[15] In parts of the range, such as Great Britain and the northwestern United States, the pintail may be present all year.^[14]^[16]

The northern pintail's breeding habitat is open unwooded wetlands, such as wet grassland, lakesides or tundra. In winter, it will utilise a wider range of open habitats, such as sheltered estuaries, brackish marshes and coastal lagoons. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season and forms very large mixed flocks with other ducks.^[8]

Behaviour

Breeding

Both sexes reach sexual maturity at one year of age. The male mates with the female by swimming close to her with his head lowered and tail raised, continually whistling. If there is a group of males, they will chase the female in flight until only one drake is left. The female prepares for copulation, which takes place in the water, by lowering her body; the male then bobs his head up and down and mounts the female, taking the feathers on the back of her head in his mouth. After mating, he raises his head and back and whistles.^[12]

Among the earliest species to breed in the spring, northern pintails typically form pairs during migration, or even while still on wintering grounds.^[17]^[18] Breeding takes place between April and June, with the nest being constructed on the ground and hidden amongst vegetation in a dry location, often some distance from water. It is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with plant material and down.^[8] The female lays seven to nine cream-coloured eggs at the rate of one per day;^[12] the eggs are 55 mm × 38 mm (2.2 in × 1.5 in) in size and weigh 45 g (1.6 oz), of which 7% is shell.^[19] If predators destroy the first clutch, the female can produce a replacement clutch as late as the end of July.^[12] The hen alone incubates the eggs for 22 to 24 days before they hatch. The precocial downy chicks are then led by the female to the nearest body of water, where they feed on dead insects on the water surface. The chicks fledge in 46 to 47 days after hatching, but stay with the female until she has completed moulting.^[12]

Around three-quarters of chicks live long enough to fledge, but not more than half of those survive long enough to reproduce.^[12] The maximum recorded age is 27 years and 5 months for a Dutch bird.^[19]

Feeding

The pintail feeds by dabbling and upending in shallow water for plant food mainly in the evening or at night, and therefore spends much of the day resting.^[8] Its long neck enables it to take food items from the bottom of water bodies up to 30 cm (12 in) deep, which are beyond the reach of other dabbling ducks like the mallard.^[13]

The winter diet is mainly plant material including seeds and rhizomes of aquatic plants, but the pintail sometimes feeds on roots, grain and other seeds in fields, though less frequently than other Anas ducks.^[13] During the nesting season, this bird eats mainly invertebrate animals, including aquatic insects, molluscs and crustaceans.^[12]

Health

Pintail nests and chicks are vulnerable to predation by mammals, such as foxes and badgers, and birds like gulls, crows and magpies. The adults can take flight to escape terrestrial predators, but nesting females in particular may be surprised by large carnivores such as bobcats.^[12] Large birds of prey, such as northern goshawks, will take ducks from the ground, and some falcons, including the gyrfalcon, have the speed and power to catch flying birds.^[20]

It is susceptible to a range of parasites including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, tapeworms, blood parasites and external feather lice,^[21]^[22]^[23]^[24] and is also affected by other avian diseases. It is often the dominant species in major mortality events from avian botulism and avian cholera,^[25] and can also contract avian influenza, the H5N1 strain of which is highly pathogenic and occasionally infects humans.^[26]

The northern pintail is a popular species for game shooting because of its speed, agility, and excellent eating qualities, and is hunted across its range.^[27]^[28] Although one of the world's most numerous ducks,^[19] the combination of hunting with other factors has led to population declines, and local restrictions on hunting have been introduced at times to help conserve numbers.^[29]

This species' preferred habitat of shallow water is naturally susceptible to problems such as drought or the encroachment of vegetation, but this duck's habitat might be increasingly threatened by climate change.^[19] Populations are also affected by the conversion of wetlands and grassland to arable crops, depriving the duck of feeding and nesting areas. Spring planting means that many nests of this early breeding duck are destroyed by farming activities,^[30] and a Canadian study showed that more than half of the surveyed nests were destroyed by agricultural work such as ploughing and harrowing.^[31]

Hunting with lead shot, along with the use of lead sinkers in angling, has been identified as a major cause of lead poisoning in waterfowl, which often feed off the bottom of lakes and wetlands where the shot collects.^[32] A Spanish study showed that northern pintail and common pochard were the species with the highest levels of lead shot ingestion, higher than in northern countries of the western Palearctic flyway, where lead shot has been banned.^[33] In the United States, Canada, and many western European countries, all shot used for waterfowl must now be non-toxic, and therefore may not contain any lead.^[34]^[35]^[36]

Status

The northern pintail has a large range, estimated at 41,900,000 km² (16,200,000 sq mi), and a population estimated at 4.8–4.9 million individuals. The IUCN has categorised the northern pintail as not being threatened globally,^[1] however it is endangered in Europe.^[37]

In the Palaearctic, breeding populations are declining in much of the range, including its stronghold in Russia. In other regions, populations are stable or fluctuating.^[38]

Pintails in North America at least have been badly affected by avian diseases, with the breeding population falling from more than 10 million in 1957 to 3.5 million by 1964. Although the species has recovered from that low point, the breeding population in 1999 was 30% below the long-term average, despite years of major efforts focused on restoring the species. In 1997, an estimated 1.5 million water birds, the majority being northern pintails, died from avian botulism during two outbreaks in Canada and Utah.^[25]

The northern pintail is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies,^[39] but it has no special status under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b BirdLife International (2019). "Anas acuta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22680301A153882797. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22680301A153882797.en.
^ ^a ^b Linnaeus, Carolus (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata (in Latin). Holmiae [Stockholm]: Laurentii Salvii. p. 126. A. cauda acuminata elongata subtus nigra, occipite utrinque linea alba
^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 31, 46. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ Johnson, Kevin P.; Sorenson, Michael D. (1999). "Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus Anas): a comparison of molecular and morphological evidence" (PDF). The Auk. 116 (3): 792–805. doi:10.2307/4089339. JSTOR 4089339.
^ Johnson, Kevin P.; McKinney, Frank; Wilson, Robert; Sorenson, Michael D. (2000). "The evolution of postcopulatory displays in dabbling ducks (Anatini): a phylogenetic perspective" (PDF). Animal Behaviour. 59 (5): 953–963. doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1399. PMID 10860522. S2CID 28172603. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2006.
^ Livezey, B.C. (1991). "A phylogenetic analysis and classification of recent dabbling ducks (Tribe Anatini) based on comparative morphology" (PDF). The Auk. 108 (3): 471–507. doi:10.2307/4088089. JSTOR 4088089.
^ "Dafila Scott". Society of Wildlife Artists. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Madge, Steve; Burn, Hilary (1988). Wildfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World (Helm Identification Guides). Christopher Helm. pp. 222–224. ISBN 978-0-7470-2201-5.
^ Hume, Julian P.; Walters, Michael (2012). Extinct Birds. London: Poyser. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-4081-5725-1.
^ ^a ^b R. Wagstaffe (1 December 1978). Type Specimens of Birds in the Merseyside County Museums (formerly City of Liverpool Museums).
^ del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J., eds. (1992). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Robinson, Jerry (2002). Johansson, Carl (ed.). "Anas acuta". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 13 January 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gooders, John; Boyer, Trevor (1997). Ducks of Britain and the Northern Hemisphere. Collins & Brown. pp. 58–61. ISBN 978-1-85585-570-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c Mullarney, Killian; Svensson, Lars; Zetterstrom, Dan; Grant, Peter (2001). Birds of Europe. Princeton University Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-691-05054-6.
^ Towell, Larry (23 January 2008). "From Tokyo to Tupelo". ESPN. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
^ "Northern Pintail". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
^ "Northern Pintail". Audubon. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
^ "Northern Pintail". The National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Robinson, R.A. (2005). "Pintail Anas acuta [Linnaeus, 1758]". BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (BTO Research Report 407). British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 13 January 2008.
^ Forsman, Dick (2008). The Raptors of Europe & the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification. Princeton University Press. pp. 21–25. ISBN 978-0-85661-098-1.
^ Kuhn, Ryan C.; Rock, Channah M.; Oshima, Kevin H. (January 2002). "Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wild Ducks along the Rio Grande River Valley in Southern New Mexico". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68 (1): 161–165. Bibcode:2002ApEnM..68..161K. doi:10.1128/AEM.68.1.161-165.2002. PMC 126547. PMID 11772622.
^ "Cotugnia fastigata". Parasite species summary page. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
^ Williams, N.A.; Calverley, B.K.; Mahrt, J.L. (1977). "Blood parasites of mallard and pintail ducks from central Alberta and the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 13 (3): 226–229. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-13.3.226. PMID 410954. S2CID 10120000.
^ "Feather Lice Infection in Waterfowl". Wildpro - the electronic encyclopaedia and library for wildlife. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
^ ^a ^b Friend, Milton; McLean, Robert G.; Dein, F. Joshua (April 2001). "Disease emergence in birds: Challenges for the twenty-first century". The Auk. 118 (2): 290–303. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2001)118[0290:DEIBCF]2.0.CO;2.
^ "Avian influenza tests complete on wild northern pintail ducks in Montana". News release No. 0402.06. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
^ Marrone, Teresa (2000). Dressing & Cooking Wild Game (Complete Hunter). Creative Publishing International. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-86573-108-0.
^ Cocker, Mark; Mabey, Richard (2005). Birds Britannica. London: Chatto & Windus. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7011-6907-7.
^ "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Duck Hunting Regulations, Limited Canvasback Season Re-Opened". News Release 1 August 2003. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Losing ground: The top 10 common birds in decline" (PDF). Common birds in decline; a state of the birds report, summer 2007. Audubon. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Wildlife species: Anas acuta". Fire Effects Information System. USDA Forest Service. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ Scheuhammer, A.M.; Norris, S.L. (1996). "The ecotoxicology of lead shot and lead fishing weights". Ecotoxicology. 5 (5): 279–295. Bibcode:1996Ecotx...5..279S. doi:10.1007/BF00119051. PMID 24193869. S2CID 40092400.
^ Mateo, Rafael; Martínez-Vilalta, Albert; Guitart, Raimon (1997). "Lead shot pellets in the Ebro delta, Spain: Densities in sediments and prevalence of exposure in waterfowl". Environmental Pollution. 96 (3): 335–341. doi:10.1016/S0269-7491(97)00046-8. PMID 15093399.
^ "Service continues to expand non-toxic shot options". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 25 October 2000. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Crunch time for lead shot ban". New Scientist. 5 April 1997. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Lead & Non-Lead Shot". British Association for Shooting and Conservation. Archived from the original on 25 May 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Anas acuta European regional status".
^ Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 222–225. ISBN 978-0-19-854099-1.
^ "Anas acuta". Agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). AEWA. Retrieved 12 February 2015.

External links

Listen to this article (18 minutes)

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Explore Species: Northern Pintail at eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Northern pintail photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)

[iucn_status_13_November_2021-1] BirdLife International (2019). "Anas acuta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22680301A153882797. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22680301A153882797.en.

[Linnaeus-2] Linnaeus, Carolus (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata (in Latin). Holmiae [Stockholm]: Laurentii Salvii. p. 126. A. cauda acuminata elongata subtus nigra, occipite utrinque linea alba

[job90-3] Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 31, 46. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

[Johnson1999-4] Johnson, Kevin P.; Sorenson, Michael D. (1999). "Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus Anas): a comparison of molecular and morphological evidence" (PDF). The Auk. 116 (3): 792–805. doi:10.2307/4089339. JSTOR 4089339.

[Johnson2000-5] Johnson, Kevin P.; McKinney, Frank; Wilson, Robert; Sorenson, Michael D. (2000). "The evolution of postcopulatory displays in dabbling ducks (Anatini): a phylogenetic perspective" (PDF). Animal Behaviour. 59 (5): 953–963. doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1399. PMID 10860522. S2CID 28172603. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2006.

[Livezey-6] Livezey, B.C. (1991). "A phylogenetic analysis and classification of recent dabbling ducks (Tribe Anatini) based on comparative morphology" (PDF). The Auk. 108 (3): 471–507. doi:10.2307/4088089. JSTOR 4088089.

[Dafila-7] "Dafila Scott". Society of Wildlife Artists. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2008.

[Madge-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Madge, Steve; Burn, Hilary (1988). Wildfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World (Helm Identification Guides). Christopher Helm. pp. 222–224. ISBN 978-0-7470-2201-5.

[Hume-9] Hume, Julian P.; Walters, Michael (2012). Extinct Birds. London: Poyser. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-4081-5725-1.

[:0-10] R. Wagstaffe (1 December 1978). Type Specimens of Birds in the Merseyside County Museums (formerly City of Liverpool Museums).

[HBW-11] Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J., eds. (1992). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.

[umich-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Robinson, Jerry (2002). Johansson, Carl (ed.). "Anas acuta". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 13 January 2008.

[Gooders-13] Gooders, John; Boyer, Trevor (1997). Ducks of Britain and the Northern Hemisphere. Collins & Brown. pp. 58–61. ISBN 978-1-85585-570-0.

[Collins-14] Mullarney, Killian; Svensson, Lars; Zetterstrom, Dan; Grant, Peter (2001). Birds of Europe. Princeton University Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-691-05054-6.

[ESPN-15] Towell, Larry (23 January 2008). "From Tokyo to Tupelo". ESPN. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

[Cornell-16] "Northern Pintail". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 14 January 2008.

[17] "Northern Pintail". Audubon. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2022.

[18] "Northern Pintail". The National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved 31 March 2022.

[BTO-19] Robinson, R.A. (2005). "Pintail Anas acuta [Linnaeus, 1758]". BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (BTO Research Report 407). British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 13 January 2008.

[Forsman-20] Forsman, Dick (2008). The Raptors of Europe & the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification. Princeton University Press. pp. 21–25. ISBN 978-0-85661-098-1.

[AEM-21] Kuhn, Ryan C.; Rock, Channah M.; Oshima, Kevin H. (January 2002). "Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wild Ducks along the Rio Grande River Valley in Southern New Mexico". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68 (1): 161–165. Bibcode:2002ApEnM..68..161K. doi:10.1128/AEM.68.1.161-165.2002. PMC 126547. PMID 11772622.

[tape-22] "Cotugnia fastigata". Parasite species summary page. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2008.

[Williams-23] Williams, N.A.; Calverley, B.K.; Mahrt, J.L. (1977). "Blood parasites of mallard and pintail ducks from central Alberta and the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 13 (3): 226–229. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-13.3.226. PMID 410954. S2CID 10120000.

[lice-24] "Feather Lice Infection in Waterfowl". Wildpro - the electronic encyclopaedia and library for wildlife. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2008.

[Friend-25] Friend, Milton; McLean, Robert G.; Dein, F. Joshua (April 2001). "Disease emergence in birds: Challenges for the twenty-first century". The Auk. 118 (2): 290–303. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2001)118[0290:DEIBCF]2.0.CO;2.

[USDA-26] "Avian influenza tests complete on wild northern pintail ducks in Montana". News release No. 0402.06. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 14 January 2008.

[Marrone-27] Marrone, Teresa (2000). Dressing & Cooking Wild Game (Complete Hunter). Creative Publishing International. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-86573-108-0.

[Cocker-28] Cocker, Mark; Mabey, Richard (2005). Birds Britannica. London: Chatto & Windus. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7011-6907-7.

[USFWSnews-29] "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Duck Hunting Regulations, Limited Canvasback Season Re-Opened". News Release 1 August 2003. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[Audubon-30] "Losing ground: The top 10 common birds in decline" (PDF). Common birds in decline; a state of the birds report, summer 2007. Audubon. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[usdafs-31] "Wildlife species: Anas acuta". Fire Effects Information System. USDA Forest Service. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[Scheuhammer-32] Scheuhammer, A.M.; Norris, S.L. (1996). "The ecotoxicology of lead shot and lead fishing weights". Ecotoxicology. 5 (5): 279–295. Bibcode:1996Ecotx...5..279S. doi:10.1007/BF00119051. PMID 24193869. S2CID 40092400.

[Mateo-33] Mateo, Rafael; Martínez-Vilalta, Albert; Guitart, Raimon (1997). "Lead shot pellets in the Ebro delta, Spain: Densities in sediments and prevalence of exposure in waterfowl". Environmental Pollution. 96 (3): 335–341. doi:10.1016/S0269-7491(97)00046-8. PMID 15093399.

[USFWS2-34] "Service continues to expand non-toxic shot options". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 25 October 2000. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[Newsc-35] "Crunch time for lead shot ban". New Scientist. 5 April 1997. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[BASC-36] "Lead & Non-Lead Shot". British Association for Shooting and Conservation. Archived from the original on 25 May 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[37] "Anas acuta European regional status".

[BWP-38] Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 222–225. ISBN 978-0-19-854099-1.

[AEWA-39] "Anas acuta". Agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). AEWA. Retrieved 12 February 2015.

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+{{Short description|Migratory duck that breeds in northern Eurasia and North America}}
-{{pp-move|small=yes}}
+{{Featured article}}
-{{short description|Migratory duck that breeds in northern Eurasia and North America}}
+{{Pp-move|small=yes}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2013}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
 {{Speciesbox
 | name = Northern pintail
 | status = LC
 | status_system = IUCN3.1
-| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22680301/0 |title=''Anas acuta'' |author=BirdLife International |author-link=BirdLife International |year=2013 |access-date=26 November 2013}}</ref>
+| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2019 |title=''Anas acuta'' |volume=2019 |page=e.T22680301A153882797 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22680301A153882797.en}}</ref>
 | image = Northern Pintails (Male & Female) I IMG 0911.jpg
-| image_caption = Male and female (left-right)<br/>{{Audio|Anas_acuta.ogg|Call}}
+| image_caption = Male and female (left–right)<br/>{{Audio|Anas_acuta.ogg|Call}}
 | genus = Anas
 | species = acuta
@@ Line 14: / Line 15: @@
 | range_map = AnasAcutaIUCN2019 2.png
 | range_map_caption = Range of ''A. acuta'' {{leftlegend|#00FF00|Breeding|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#00FFFF|Passage|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#007FFF|Non-breeding|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#FF00FF|Vagrant (seasonality uncertain)|outline=gray}}
-| synonyms =
+| synonyms = ''Dafila acuta''
-''Dafila acuta''
 }}
+{{birdsong|url=https://xeno-canto.org/species/Anas-acuta|species=Northern Pintail}}
-[[File:Pijlstaart mannetje en vrouwtje-4961953.webm| thumb |Anas acuta]]
+[[File:Pijlstaart mannetje en vrouwtje-4961953.webm| thumb|''Anas acuta'']]
-The '''pintail''' or '''northern pintail''' (''Anas acuta'') is a [[duck]] species with wide geographic [[Range (biology)|distribution]] that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the [[Palearctic]] and North America. It is [[bird migration|migratory]] and winters south of its [[breeding range]] to the [[equator]]. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical [[subspecies]] if the possibly [[conspecific]] duck [[Eaton's pintail]] is considered to be a separate species.
+The '''pintail''' or '''northern pintail''' ('''''Anas acuta''''') is a [[duck]] species with wide geographic [[Range (biology)|distribution]] that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the [[Palearctic]] and North America. It is [[bird migration|migratory]] and winters south of its [[breeding range]] to the [[equator]]. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical [[subspecies]] if the possibly [[conspecific]] duck [[Eaton's pintail]] is considered to be a separate species.
 This is a large duck, and the male's long central tail feathers give rise to the species' English and scientific names. Both sexes have blue-grey bills and grey legs and feet. The drake is more striking, having a thin white stripe running from the back of its chocolate-coloured head down its neck to its mostly white undercarriage. The drake also has attractive grey, brown, and black patterning on its back and sides. The hen's plumage is more subtle and subdued, with drab brown feathers similar to those of other female [[dabbling duck]]s. Hens make a coarse quack and the drakes a flute-like whistle.
@@ Line 25: / Line 27: @@
 ==Taxonomy==
-This species was first described by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his landmark 1758 [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'']] as ''Anas acuta''.<ref name=Linnaeus/> The scientific name comes from two [[Latin]] words: ''anas'', meaning "duck", and ''acuta'', which comes from the verb ''acuere'', "to sharpen"; the species term, like the [[English language|English]] name, refers to the pointed tail of the male in breeding plumage.<ref name= job90>{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher = Christopher Helm | location = London | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 |pages = 31, 46}}</ref>
+This species was first described by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his landmark 1758 [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'']] as ''Anas acuta''.<ref name=Linnaeus/> The scientific name comes from two [[Latin]] words: {{Lang|la|anas}}, meaning "duck", and ''{{Lang|la|acuta}}'', which comes from the verb ''{{Lang|la|acuere}}'', "to sharpen"; the species term like the [[English language|English]] name, refers to the pointed tail of the male in breeding plumage.<ref name= job90>{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher = Christopher Helm | location = London | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 |pages = 31, 46}}</ref> Within the large [[Anatinae|dabbling duck]] genus ''Anas'',<ref name=Linnaeus/> the northern pintail's closest relatives are other pintails, such as the [[yellow-billed pintail]] (''A.&nbsp;georgica'') and [[Eaton's pintail]] (''A.&nbsp;eatoni''). The pintails are sometimes separated in the genus ''Dafila'' (described by [[James Francis Stephens|Stephens]], 1824), an arrangement supported by morphological, molecular and behavioural data.<ref name=Johnson1999/><ref name=Johnson2000/><ref name=Livezey/> The famous [[Great Britain|British]] [[ornithology|ornithologist]] Sir [[Peter Scott]] gave this name to his daughter, the artist Dafila Scott.<ref name=Dafila/>
-Within the large [[Anatinae|dabbling duck]] genus ''Anas'',<ref name=Linnaeus/> the northern pintail's closest relatives are other pintails, such as the [[yellow-billed pintail]] (''A. georgica'') and [[Eaton's pintail]] (''A. eatoni''). The pintails are sometimes separated in the genus ''Dafila'' (described by [[James Francis Stephens|Stephens]], 1824), an arrangement supported by morphological, molecular and behavioural data.<ref name=Johnson1999/><ref name=Johnson2000/><ref name=Livezey/> The famous [[Great Britain|British]] [[ornithology|ornithologist]] Sir [[Peter Scott]] gave this name to his daughter, the artist Dafila Scott.<ref name=Dafila/>
-Eaton's pintail has two subspecies, ''A. e. eatoni'' (the Kerguelen pintail) of [[Kerguelen Islands]], and ''A. e. drygalskyi'' (the Crozet pintail) of [[Crozet Islands]], and was formerly considered conspecific with the [[Northern Hemisphere|Northern Hemisphere's]] northern pintail. [[Sexual dimorphism]] is much less marked in the southern pintails, with the male's breeding appearance being similar to the female plumage. Unusually for a species with such a large range, northern pintail has no geographical subspecies if Eaton's pintail is treated as a separate species.<ref name=Madge/>
+Eaton's pintail has two subspecies, ''A.&nbsp;e. eatoni'' (the Kerguelen pintail) of [[Kerguelen Islands]], and ''A.&nbsp;e. drygalskyi'' (the Crozet pintail) of [[Crozet Islands]], and was formerly considered conspecific with the [[Northern Hemisphere|Northern Hemisphere's]] northern pintail. [[Sexual dimorphism]] is much less marked in the southern pintails, with the male's breeding appearance being similar to the female plumage. Unusually for a species with such a large range, northern pintail has no geographical subspecies if Eaton's pintail is treated as a separate species.<ref name=Madge/>
-A claimed extinct subspecies from [[Manra Island]], Tristram's pintail, ''A. a. modesta'', appears to be indistinguishable from the nominate form.<ref name=Hume/> The three [[Type (biology)|syntype specimens]] of ''Dafila modesta'' Tristram ([https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92048 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1886, p.79. pl. VII]), the extinct subspecies, are held in the vertebrate zoology collections of [[National Museums Liverpool]] at [[World Museum]], with accession numbers NML-VZ T11792 (male immature), NML-VZ T11795 (female adult) and NML-VZ T11797 (female adult).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=R. Wagstaffe|url=http://archive.org/details/type-specimens-of-birds-in-the-merseyside-county-museums-wagstaffe|title=Type Specimens of Birds in the Merseyside County Museums (formerly City of Liverpool Museums)|date=1978-12-01}}</ref> The specimens were collected by J. V. Arundel in Sydney Island ([[Manra Island]]), Phoenix Islands in 1885 and came to the Liverpool national collection via Canon [[Henry Baker Tristram]]'s collection which was purchased in 1896.<ref name=":0" />
+A claimed extinct subspecies from [[Manra Island]], Tristram's pintail, ''A.&nbsp;a. modesta'', appears to be indistinguishable from the nominate form.<ref name=Hume/> The three [[Type (biology)|syntype specimens]] of ''Dafila modesta'' Tristram ([https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92048 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1886, p.79. pl. VII]), the extinct subspecies, are held in the vertebrate zoology collections of [[National Museums Liverpool]] at [[World Museum]], with accession numbers NML-VZ T11792 (male immature), NML-VZ T11795 (female adult) and NML-VZ T11797 (female adult).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=R. Wagstaffe|url=http://archive.org/details/type-specimens-of-birds-in-the-merseyside-county-museums-wagstaffe|title=Type Specimens of Birds in the Merseyside County Museums (formerly City of Liverpool Museums)|date=1978-12-01}}</ref> The specimens were collected by J. V. Arundel in Sydney Island ([[Manra Island]]), Phoenix Islands in 1885 and came to the Liverpool national collection via Canon [[Henry Baker Tristram]]'s collection which was purchased in 1896.<ref name=":0" />
-[[File:Northern Pintail (Female).jpg|thumbnail|Northern pintail female wingspan]]
-[[File:Northern pintail.1.jpg|thumbnail|Northern pintail male in flight]]
-[[File:Northern pintail.2.jpg|thumbnail|Northern pintail female]]
-[[File:Northern Pintail male AMSM6102.jpg|thumbnail|Male in [[Jamnagar]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]] ]]
 ==Description==
+The northern pintail is a fairly large duck with a [[Wing chord (biology)|wing chord]] of {{Convert|23.6|-|28.2|cm|in|abbr=on}} and wingspan of {{convert|80|-|95|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=HBW/> The male is {{Convert|59|-|76|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and weighs {{Convert|450|-|1360|g|lb|abbr=on}}, and therefore is considerably larger than the female, which is {{Convert|51|-|64|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and weighs {{Convert|454|-|1135|g|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name=umich/> The northern pintail broadly overlaps in size with the similarly widespread [[mallard]], but is more slender, elongated and gracile, with a relatively longer neck and (in males) a longer tail. The unmistakable breeding [[plumage]]d male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area. The vent area is yellow, contrasting with the black underside of the tail,<ref name=Madge/> which has the central feathers elongated to as much as {{Convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The bill is bluish and the legs are blue-grey.<ref name=Gooders/>
-[[File:Male northern pintail at Llano Seco.jpg|thumb|Male in [[California]], U.S.]]
-The northern pintail is a fairly large duck with a [[Wing chord (biology)|wing chord]] of {{Convert|23.6|-|28.2|cm|in|abbr=on}} and wingspan of {{convert|80|-|95|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=HBW/> The male is {{Convert|59|-|76|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and weighs {{Convert|450|-|1360|g|lb|abbr=on}}, and therefore is considerably larger than the female, which is {{Convert|51|-|64|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and weighs {{Convert|454|-|1135|g|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name=umich/> The northern pintail broadly overlaps in size with the similarly-widespread [[mallard]], but is more slender, elongated and gracile, with a relatively longer neck and (in males) a longer tail. The unmistakable breeding [[plumage]]d male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area. The vent area is yellow, contrasting with the black underside of the tail,<ref name=Madge/> which has the central feathers elongated to as much as {{Convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The bill is bluish and the legs are blue-grey.<ref name=Gooders/>
 The adult female is mainly scalloped and mottled in light brown with a more uniformly grey-brown head, and its pointed tail is shorter than the male's; it is still easily identified by its shape, long neck, and long grey bill.<ref name=Madge/> In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake pintail looks similar to the female, but retains the male upperwing pattern and long grey shoulder feathers. Juvenile birds resemble the female, but are less neatly scalloped and have a duller brown [[speculum feathers|speculum]] with a narrower trailing edge.<ref name=Collins/>
-The pintail walks well on land, and swims well.<ref name=Madge/> In water, the swimming posture is forward leaning, with the base of the neck almost flush with the water.<ref name=Gooders/> It has a very fast flight, with its wings slightly swept-back, rather than straight out from the body like other ducks. In flight, the male shows a black speculum bordered white at the rear and pale rufous at the front, whereas the female's speculum is dark brown bordered with white, narrowly at the front edge but very prominently at the rear, being visible at a distance of {{convert|1600|m|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Collins/>
+The pintail walks well on land, and swims well.<ref name=Madge/> In water, the swimming posture is forward leaning, with the base of the neck almost flush with the water.<ref name=Gooders/> It has a very fast flight, with its wings slightly swept-back, rather than straight out from the body like other ducks. In flight, the male shows a black speculum bordered white at the rear and pale rufous at the front, whereas the female's speculum is dark brown bordered with white, narrowly at the front edge but very prominently at the rear, being visible at a distance of {{convert|1600|m|mi|abbr=on|sigfig=1}}.<ref name=Collins/>
 The male's call is a soft ''{{not a typo|proop-proop}}'' whistle, similar to that of the [[common teal]], whereas the female has a [[mallard]]-like descending quack, and a low croak when flushed.<ref name=Madge/>
+<gallery widths="200px" heights="140px">
+File:Northern Pintail (Female).jpg|Northern pintail female wingspan
+File:Male northern pintail (Anas acuta) in flight at Llano Seco-0708.jpg|Northern pintail male in flight
+File:Northern pintail.2.jpg|Northern pintail female
+File:Northern Pintail male AMSM6102.jpg|Male in [[Jamnagar]], [[Gujarat]], India
+File:Male northern pintail at Llano Seco.jpg|Male in [[California]], U.S.
+File:Northern Pintail Drake on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (23267347871).jpg|Male flying above [[Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge]] in [[Wyoming]]
+File:Female northern pintail in flight-1827.jpg|Female in flight, California, US
+</gallery>
 ==Distribution and habitat==
 [[File:Northern Pintail (Males) near Hodal I IMG 9252.jpg|thumb|Non-breeding males wintering in India]]
-This [[dabbling duck]] breeds across northern areas of the [[Palearctic]] south to about [[Poland]] and [[Mongolia]],<ref name=umich/> and in [[Canada]], [[Alaska]] and the [[Midwestern United States]]. Mainly in winters south of its breeding range, reaches almost to the equator in [[Panama]], northern [[sub-Saharan Africa]] and tropical [[South Asia]]. Small numbers migrate to [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] islands, particularly [[Hawaii]], where a few hundred birds winter on the main islands in shallow [[wetland]]s and flooded agricultural habitats.<ref name=Madge/> [[Ocean|Transoceanic]] journeys also occur: a bird that was caught and [[bird ringing|ringed]] in [[Labrador]], Canada, was shot by a hunter in England nine days later,<ref name=umich/> and [[Japan|Japanese-ringed]] birds have been recovered from six US states east to [[Utah]] and [[Mississippi]].<ref name=ESPN/> In parts of the range, such as [[Great Britain]] and the northwestern United States, the pintail may be present all year.<ref name=Collins/><ref name=Cornell/>
+This [[dabbling duck]] breeds across northern areas of the [[Palearctic]] south to about [[Poland]] and [[Mongolia]],<ref name=umich/> and in [[Canada]], [[Alaska]] and the [[Midwestern United States]]. It mainly winters south of its breeding range, reaching almost to the equator in [[Panama]], northern [[sub-Saharan Africa]] and tropical [[South Asia]]. Small numbers migrate to [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] islands, particularly [[Hawaii]], where a few hundred birds winter on the main islands in shallow [[wetland]]s and flooded agricultural habitats.<ref name=Madge/> [[Ocean|Transoceanic]] journeys also occur: a bird that was caught and [[bird ringing|ringed]] in [[Labrador]], Canada, was shot by a hunter in England nine days later,<ref name=umich/> and [[Japan]]ese-ringed birds have been recovered from six US states east to [[Utah]] and [[Mississippi]].<ref name=ESPN/> In parts of the range, such as [[Great Britain]] and the northwestern United States, the pintail may be present all year.<ref name=Collins/><ref name=Cornell/>
 The northern pintail's breeding habitat is open unwooded wetlands, such as wet grassland, lakesides or tundra. In winter, it will utilise a wider range of open habitats, such as sheltered estuaries, brackish marshes and coastal lagoons. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season and forms very large mixed flocks with other ducks.<ref name=Madge/>
@@ Line 59: / Line 64: @@
 [[File:Anas acuta 2005.01.10-10.18.52.jpg|thumb|Breeding pair]]
 [[File:Anas acuta MWNH 0965.JPG|left|thumb|Egg, Collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]]]
 Both sexes reach sexual maturity at one year of age. The male mates with the female by swimming close to her with his head lowered and tail raised, continually whistling. If there is a group of males, they will chase the female in flight until only one drake is left. The female prepares for copulation, which takes place in the water, by lowering her body; the male then bobs his head up and down and mounts the female, taking the feathers on the back of her head in his mouth. After mating, he raises his head and back and whistles.<ref name=umich/>
-Breeding takes place between April and June, with the nest being constructed on the ground and hidden amongst vegetation in a dry location, often some distance from water. It is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with plant material and down.<ref name= Madge/> The female lays seven to nine cream-coloured eggs at the rate of one per day;<ref name=umich/> the eggs are {{Convert|55|x|38|mm|in|abbr=on}} in size and weigh {{Convert|45|g|oz|abbr=on}}, of which 7% is shell.<ref name=BTO/> If predators destroy the first clutch, the female can produce a replacement clutch as late as the end of July.<ref name=umich/>
+Among the earliest species to breed in the spring, northern pintails typically form pairs during migration, or even while still on wintering grounds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-13 |title=Northern Pintail |url=https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-pintail |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Audubon |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Northern Pintail |url=https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Birds/Northern-Pintail |access-date=31 March 2022 |website=The National Wildlife Federation}}</ref> Breeding takes place between April and June, with the nest being constructed on the ground and hidden amongst vegetation in a dry location, often some distance from water. It is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with plant material and down.<ref name= Madge/> The female lays seven to nine cream-coloured eggs at the rate of one per day;<ref name=umich/> the eggs are {{Convert|55|x|38|mm|in|abbr=on}} in size and weigh {{Convert|45|g|oz|abbr=on}}, of which 7% is shell.<ref name=BTO/> If predators destroy the first clutch, the female can produce a replacement clutch as late as the end of July.<ref name=umich/>
 The hen alone incubates the eggs for 22 to 24 days before they hatch. The [[precocial]] downy chicks are then led by the female to the nearest body of water, where they feed on dead insects on the water surface. The chicks fledge in 46 to 47 days after hatching, but stay with the female until she has completed [[moult]]ing.<ref name=umich/>
@@ Line 67: / Line 73: @@
 ===Feeding===
-[[File:Northern Pintails (Male & Female)- Up-ending I 342.jpg|thumb|Up-ending to feed (male on right)]]
+[[File:Northern Shoveler female & Northern Pintail male, up-ending, at Kolkata I 342.jpg|thumb|Up-ending to feed (male on right)]]
 The pintail feeds by dabbling and upending in shallow water for plant food mainly in the evening or at night, and therefore spends much of the day resting.<ref name=Madge/> Its long neck enables it to take food items from the bottom of water bodies up to {{Convert|30|cm|in|abbr=on}} deep, which are beyond the reach of other dabbling ducks like the mallard.<ref name=Gooders/>
@@ Line 74: / Line 81: @@
 ==Health==
 [[File:Northern Pintail (Male)- Preening I IMG 1119.jpg|thumb|Male preening]]
 Pintail nests and chicks are vulnerable to predation by mammals, such as [[fox]]es and [[badger]]s, and birds like [[gull]]s, [[crow]]s and [[magpie]]s. The adults can take flight to escape terrestrial predators, but nesting females in particular may be surprised by large [[carnivore]]s such as [[bobcat]]s.<ref name=umich/> Large [[bird of prey|birds of prey]], such as [[northern goshawk]]s, will take ducks from the ground, and some [[falcon]]s, including the [[gyrfalcon]], have the speed and power to catch flying birds.<ref name=Forsman/>
@@ Line 81: / Line 89: @@
 This species' preferred habitat of shallow water is naturally susceptible to problems such as drought or the encroachment of vegetation, but this duck's habitat might be increasingly threatened by climate change.<ref name=BTO/> Populations are also affected by the conversion of wetlands and grassland to arable crops, depriving the duck of feeding and nesting areas. Spring planting means that many nests of this early breeding duck are destroyed by farming activities,<ref name=Audubon/> and a Canadian study showed that more than half of the surveyed nests were destroyed by agricultural work such as ploughing and [[harrow (tool)|harrowing]].<ref name=usdafs/>
-[[File:Northern Pintail Drake on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (23267347871).jpg|thumb|left|Male flying above [[Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge]] in [[Wyoming]]]]
-[[File:Northern Pintail (Female)- Feeding I IMG 0910.jpg|thumb|Female]]
 Hunting with lead shot, along with the use of lead sinkers in [[angling]], has been identified as a major cause of [[lead poisoning]] in waterfowl, which often feed off the bottom of lakes and wetlands where the shot collects.<ref name=Scheuhammer/> A [[Spain|Spanish]] study showed that northern pintail and [[common pochard]] were the species with the highest levels of lead shot ingestion, higher than in northern countries of the western Palearctic flyway, where lead shot has been banned.<ref name=Mateo/> In the United States, Canada, and many western European countries, all shot used for [[waterfowl]] must now be non-toxic, and therefore may not contain any [[lead]].<ref name=USFWS2/><ref name=Newsc/><ref name=BASC/>
 ==Status==
-The northern pintail has a large range, estimated at {{Convert|28400000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, and a population estimated at 5.3–5.4 million individuals.<ref name=BirdLife/> It is therefore not believed to meet the IUCN Red List threshold criterion of a population decline of more than 30% in ten years or three generations, and is evaluated as of least concern.
+The northern pintail has a large range, estimated at {{Convert|41900000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, and a population estimated at 4.8–4.9 million individuals. The IUCN has categorised the northern pintail as not being threatened globally,<ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021"/> however it is endangered in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680301/166201297 | title= Anas acuta European regional status}}</ref>
 In the [[Palearctic realm|Palaearctic]], breeding populations are declining in much of the range, including its stronghold in Russia. In other regions, populations are stable or fluctuating.<ref name=BWP/>
@@ Line 96: / Line 102: @@
 ==References==
-<!-- Micronesica32:257,37:69,38:221. RevBrasOrnitol14:470. -->
 {{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=
-<ref name=AEM>{{cite journal |last1=Kuhn |first1=Ryan C. |last2=Rock |first2=Channah M. |last3=Oshima |first3=Kevin H. |date=January 2002 |title=Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wild Ducks along the Rio Grande River Valley in Southern New Mexico |journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=161–165 |doi=10.1128/AEM.68.1.161-165.2002 |pmc=126547 |pmid=11772622}}</ref>
+<ref name=AEM>{{cite journal |last1=Kuhn |first1=Ryan C. |last2=Rock |first2=Channah M. |last3=Oshima |first3=Kevin H. |date=January 2002 |title=Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wild Ducks along the Rio Grande River Valley in Southern New Mexico |journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=161–165 |doi=10.1128/AEM.68.1.161-165.2002 |pmc=126547 |pmid=11772622|bibcode=2002ApEnM..68..161K }}</ref>
 <ref name=AEWA>{{cite web |title=''Anas acuta'' |website=Agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) |url=http://www.unep-aewa.org/en/species/anas-acuta |publisher=AEWA |access-date=12 February 2015}}</ref>
@@ Line 105: / Line 110: @@
 <ref name=BASC>{{cite web|title=Lead & Non-Lead Shot |url=http://www.basc.org.uk/content/nontoxicshot |archive-date=25 May 2006 |publisher=British Association for Shooting and Conservation |access-date=15 January 2008 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525052505/http://www.basc.org.uk/content/nontoxicshot }}</ref>
-<ref name=BirdLife>{{cite web |title=Northern Pintail ''Anas acuta'' |url=http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsheet/22680301 |publisher=[[BirdLife International]] |access-date=16 April 2011}}</ref>
 <ref name=BTO>{{cite web |title=Pintail ''Anas acuta'' [Linnaeus, 1758] |last=Robinson |first=R.A. |year=2005 |website=BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (BTO Research Report 407) |url=http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob1890.htm |publisher=British Trust for Ornithology |access-date=13 January 2008}}</ref>
@@ Line 120: / Line 123: @@
 <ref name=Dafila>{{cite web |title=Dafila Scott |url= http://www.swla.co.uk/SWLAmembers/scottd/ScottD.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064119/http://www.swla.co.uk/SWLAmembers/scottd/ScottD.htm |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status = dead|publisher=Society of Wildlife Artists |access-date=16 January 2008}}</ref>
-<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|title=From Tokyo to Tupelo |website=ESPN Outdoors News |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=3200913 |archive-date=1 September 2009 |last=Towell |first=Larry |date=23 January 2008 |publisher=ESPN Outdoors |access-date=23 January 2008 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901062142/http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=3200913 }}</ref>
+<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|title=From Tokyo to Tupelo |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=3200913 |archive-date=1 September 2009 |last=Towell |first=Larry |date=23 January 2008 |access-date=23 January 2008 |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901062142/http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=3200913 }}</ref>
 <ref name=Forsman>{{cite book |last=Forsman |first=Dick |title=The Raptors of Europe & the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification |year=2008 |publisher=Princeton University Press |pages=21–25 |isbn=978-0-85661-098-1 }}</ref>
@@ Line 150: / Line 153: @@
 <ref name=Newsc>{{cite web |title=Crunch time for lead shot ban |website=New Scientist |date=5 April 1997 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15420760.700-crunch-time-for-lead-shot-ban.html |access-date=15 January 2008}}</ref>
-<ref name=Scheuhammer>{{cite journal |last1=Scheuhammer |first1=A.M. |last2=Norris |first2=S.L. |year=1996 |title=The ecotoxicology of lead shot and lead fishing weights |journal=Ecotoxicology |volume=5 |issue=5 |pages=279–295 |doi=10.1007/BF00119051 |pmid=24193869|s2cid=40092400 }}</ref>
+<ref name=Scheuhammer>{{cite journal |last1=Scheuhammer |first1=A.M. |last2=Norris |first2=S.L. |year=1996 |title=The ecotoxicology of lead shot and lead fishing weights |journal=Ecotoxicology |volume=5 |issue=5 |pages=279–295 |doi=10.1007/BF00119051 |pmid=24193869|bibcode=1996Ecotx...5..279S |s2cid=40092400 }}</ref>
 <ref name=tape>{{cite web |title=Cotugnia fastigata |website=Parasite species summary page |url=http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/0zAPlat_Cestod/cycl_dava_cotugnia/cotugnia_fastigata.htm |access-date=14 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210195021/http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/0zAPlat_Cestod/cycl_dava_cotugnia/cotugnia_fastigata.htm |archive-date=10 December 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
@@ Line 171: / Line 174: @@
 {{Wikispecies|Anas acuta}}
 {{Spoken Wikipedia|Northern_Pintail.ogg|date=2009-04-14}}
+* {{EBirdSpecies|norpin|Northern Pintail}}
-* {{InternetBirdCollection|northern-pintail-anas-acuta}}
 * {{VIREO|northern+pintail}}
 {{North American Game}}
 {{Taxonbar |from=Q25450}}
 {{Authority control}}
-{{featured article}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:pintail, northern}}
 [[Category:Anas|northern pintail]]
+[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
 [[Category:Holarctic birds]]
 [[Category:Birds of Africa]]
-[[Category:Birds of Hispaniola]]
 [[Category:Birds of the Dominican Republic]]
 [[Category:Birds of Haiti]]

v t e Game animals and shooting in North America
Game birds	Bobwhite quail Chukar Hungarian partridge Prairie chicken Mourning dove Ring-necked pheasant Ptarmigan Ruffed grouse Sharp-tailed grouse Snipe (common snipe) Spruce grouse Turkey Woodcock	Waterfowl hunters
Waterfowl	Black duck Canada goose Canvasback Gadwall Greater scaup Lesser scaup Mallard Northern pintail Redhead Ross's goose Snow goose Wood duck
Big game	Bighorn sheep Black bear Razorback Brown bear Bison (buffalo) Caribou Cougar (mountain lion) Elk Moose White-tailed deer Wolf Mountain goat Mule deer Pronghorn Muskox Dall sheep Polar bear Whales
Other quarry	American alligator Badger Bobcat Coyote Fox squirrel Gray fox Gray squirrel Opossum Rabbit Raccoon Red fox Snowshoe hare
See also	Bear hunting Big-game hunting Bison hunting Deer hunting Fox hunting Waterfowl hunting Whaling Fishing Wolf hunting Upland hunting