Bird Guide

Northern Pintail vs Pacific Black Duck

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

Sonogram of the Northern Pintail
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call, flight call · Miniac-Morvan, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France · CC0
Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)

Pacific Black Duck

Anas superciliosa

Large883 gWetland

This sociable duck is found in a variety of wetland habitats, and its nesting habits are much like those of the mallard, which is encroaching on its range in New Zealand. It feeds by upending, like other Anas ducks. It has a dark body, and a paler head with a dark crown and facial stripes. In flight, it shows a green speculum and pale underwing. All plumages are similar. The size range is 54–61 cm (21–24 in); males tend to be larger than females, and some island forms are smaller and darker than the main populations.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Stephen Barrell · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Northern Pintail and Pacific Black Duck.