Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

Absheron National Park

A species of bird belonging to the family of Ducks of the order of Anseriformes of the class of birds. It is migratory and migrates to subtropical and tropical regions in the winter. In the spring, it returns to its nesting grounds faster than other ducks.
It is distinguished by its elegant and slender body structure. Its long neck, sharp wings and the long needle-like tail of the male give the bird a special appearance, and it is precisely for this feature that it is called the "northern pintail duck". The length of males is 61–76 cm, the females are 51–57 cm, and the wingspan is 80–95 cm. The weight of males varies between 550–1300 g, and the weight of females is 400–1050 g.

During the mating season, the male duck has brighter colors: its head is chestnut, and a white stripe runs along the neck and lower part of the body. The back and sides are covered with gray patterns, and the wing “mirror” is a purple-bronze shade. The female is gray-brown spotted and resembles the females of other river ducks.
This species flies quickly and can easily rise from the water. In shallow waters, it feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, larvae of aquatic insects, as well as seeds and roots of aquatic plants.
It usually builds its nest in areas near water bodies and lays about 7–10 eggs at a time. The chicks are able to run and swim a few hours after hatching.