Photo and text by Dr. Gary Grantham

Northern Pintail

(Anas acuta)

The Northern Pintail is truly one of the most elegant and graceful of ducks.  In both the male and female, the long neck and pointed tail are good field characteristics.  The hardy pintail is one of the most abundant ducks at Torrey Pines State Reserve from August through March.  It is a strong, fast, dexterous flier and a long-distance migrant.  Northern Pintails are chiefly seedeaters and take little other vegetable material.  At times they eat considerable animal material in the form of snails and other shellfish, crabs and aquatic insects.