male	male female European distribution male

Identification

The drake Pintail is perhaps the most handsome of our ducks, the very epitome of grace and elegance. His most distinctive identification feature is the wavy white stripe extending up the side of his otherwise brown neck, but birds with their necks hidden can still be told by their white chests, grey bodies, black and yellow undertails and of course, the long spiky tails. The female Pintail lacks the colourful plumage and the tail spike but are still unmistakably elegant, with slender, almost swan-like necks, small plain heads and long slim grey bills. In flight the Pintail looks distinctively slender thanks mainly to their long necks and long pointed tails. In both male and female, it is the white trailing edge to the speculum which is most conspicuous.

Habitat

Breeds on moorland by lochs and pools, and also in marshes. Winters on estuaries and marshes.

Migration

Many birds winter in western Europe, particularly Britain, Holland, Belgium and France from September-April. In particularly harsh winters many of these birds move further South, especially to the Coto Donana.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Pintail is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Old Moor, S Yorks 04/08/2010	Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk 29/04/2010	Leighton Moss, Lancs 18/04/2010	Startop's End Resr, Herts 21/03/2010	Martin Mere, Lancs 21/02/2010
Martin Mere, Lancs 21/02/2010	Cellardyke, Fife 14/03/2010	Cellardyke, Fife 12/03/2010	Cellardyke, Fife 12/03/2010	Martin Mere, Lancs 22/11/2009

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Pintail breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Britain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Spain
Svalbard
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine

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