Bird Guide

Hooded Merganser vs Northern Pintail

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Large614 gWetland

The hooded merganser is a sexually dimorphic species. The adult female has a greyish-brown body, with a narrow white patch over the lower breast and belly. She has a light reddish-brown crest extending from the back of the head. During the nonbreeding season the male looks similar to the female, except that his eyes are yellow and the female's eyes are brown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Calinsdad · CC0
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

Large945 gWetland

The northern pintail is a fairly large duck with a wing chord of 23.6–28.2 cm (9.3–11.1 in) and wingspan of 80–95 cm (31–37 in). The male is 59–76 cm (23–30 in) in length and weighs 450–1,360 g (0.99–3.00 lb), and therefore is considerably larger than the female, which is 51–64 cm (20–25 in) long and weighs 454–1,135 g (1.001–2.502 lb). The northern pintail broadly overlaps in size with the similarly widespread mallard, but is more slender, elongated and gracile, with a relatively longer neck and (in males) a longer tail.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Hayes Valentine · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

And 2 more countries.

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Hooded Merganser and Northern Pintail.