Pintail (Anas acuta)

Pintails are a species of duck and, as with other ducks, the male and the female are totally different in coloration. The male has a deep brown head, white throat, grey underbody feathers stretching up the neck which look very chic. This is finished off with shaggy grey and black back feathers, a yellow flash just in front of the tail and a black thin pointed tail, hence the name. Whilst the female also has long thin pointy tail she is brown with a black marbled pattern and shaggy top feathers. When seen in silhouette both male and female have long elegant necks. They are a little bit larger than Mallards.

They feed by upending themselves in the water to pull at weed. When they are doing this they fold their tails horizontally over their bottoms, rather than leaving them standing straight up. They will also eat shellfish and invertebrates if they are not too deep in the water.

This species visit the UK in great numbers in the winter, when we gain about 29,000 of them. Up from around 30 who stay the summer through. They are a very sociable duck and it is rare you will see them on their own. The majority of them leave us in the spring to breed in Poland, Mongolia, Canada, Alaska and the Midwestern United States. Their average life span is only three years.

Pintails are on the Amber list for Birds of Conservation Concern.

Find out about other migratory birds found in North Kent.