The Northern Pintail is an elegant, long-necked dabbling duck — the male's slender silhouette and long pointed tail streaming behind in flight make it one of the most graceful of all waterfowl. It breeds earlier than most ducks and has a vast breeding range across the Northern Hemisphere. Populations have declined significantly due to loss of prairie wetlands.
Best time to see a Northern Pintail
The best time to see a Northern Pintail is October–January, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 32,822 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Northern Pintail? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Northern Pintail sightings near you
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