Watercolor portrait of Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta
Highly migratory Favors open wetlands Male Courtship Call

Learn to identify the Northern Pintail by ear. Master the "prrreep" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“prrreep”

What the Northern Pintail sounds like

A slender, elegant dabbling duck with a long neck and, in males, extremely long pointed tail feathers. Breeding males have a chocolate-brown head and white neck that extends in a bold stripe up the side of the head. Their body is mostly gray with fine vermiculations and they sport long black central tail feathers (the "pintail"). Females are mottled brown overall with a graceful, long-necked shape and a more pointed tail than other female ducks. Both sexes have blue-gray bills (male's bill has fine black striping, female's is duller) and gray legs. In flight, shows a greenish speculum (wing patch) edged in white.

“prrreep”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A short, trill-like whistle. Male pintails during courtship or territorial displays give a brief, rolling trill (sometimes written as "prreep" or "kweeep") often while lifting the head and tail. It's a soft, flute-like sound, not very loud, used in close quarters when courting females. Often written as “prrreep”.
Don't confuse with:The Mallard — bulkier with a shorter neck. male mallards have a green head, yellow bill, and curly tail feathers (no long pintail) and a blue-purple speculum with white edges.

Lessons featuring the Northern Pintail

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Northern Pintail's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.

Duck Dialects lesson habitat
Duck Dialects
Tier 11 · The Mixers
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Where you'll hear it

Favors open wetlands. Breeds in prairie potholes, tundra pools, shallow lakes, and marshes – often in more open, sparsely vegetated areas than other ducks. Also nests in nearby grasslands or fields (ground nester). During migration and winter, found in a variety of habitats including marshes, rice fields, flooded plains, coastal estuaries, and even city park ponds occasionally. Prefers shallow water bodies where they can dabble and fields where they can graze. Large flocks concentrate at rich feeding grounds, such as wildlife refuges with managed ponds or flooded agriculture.

Early spring (even late winter), pintails already begin migrating to their breeding grounds, often arriving while some water is still frozen. They form pairs in winter and those pairs migrate together to the breeding areas. Breeding occurs in late spring; females nest on the ground, often far from water, hidden in grasses. Males leave the females once incubation starts and gather on safe molting waters to shed and regrow feathers. By midsummer, many males and failed breeders move south or to large lakes to molt. Females raise ducklings through early to mid summer; by late summer or early fall, successful breeders and their young also migrate. Pintails are known for an early fall migration, with numbers building at northern stopovers by September. Through fall they move to wintering areas. In winter, they often aggregate in large flocks on rich feeding grounds (like flooded fields). As one of the earliest nesting ducks, they also depart wintering sites earlier – by February, drakes are displaying and many pintails begin the journey northwards, arriving on breeding grounds by March or April to take advantage of early thaw and open wetlands.

Similar species

Mallard

Bulkier with a shorter neck. Male Mallards have a green head, yellow bill, and curly tail feathers (no long pintail) and a blue-purple speculum with white edges.

Northern Shoveler

Male Shovelers have a green head and huge spoon-shaped bill, white chest, and reddish flanks, quite different from the pintail's brown head and gray body.

Northern Pintail sound FAQ

What does a Northern Pintail sound like?
A short, trill-like whistle. Male pintails during courtship or territorial displays give a brief, rolling trill (sometimes written as "prreep" or "kweeep") often while lifting the head and tail. It's a soft, flute-like sound, not very loud, used in close quarters when courting females. Listen for the "prrreep" phrase.
How do I tell a Northern Pintail from a Mallard by sound?
Mallard: Bulkier with a shorter neck. Male Mallards have a green head, yellow bill, and curly tail feathers (no long pintail) and a blue-purple speculum with white edges.; Female Mallards are a warmer brown with an orangey-and-black bill, and also a blue speculum.; Mallards quack loudly and males lack the pintail's whistle..
When is the best time to hear a Northern Pintail?
Early spring (even late winter), pintails already begin migrating to their breeding grounds, often arriving while some water is still frozen. They form pairs in winter and those pairs migrate together to the breeding areas. Breeding occurs in late spring; females nest on the ground, often far from water, hidden in grasses. Males leave the females once incubation starts and gather on safe molting waters to shed and regrow feathers. By midsummer, many males and failed breeders move south or to large lakes to molt. Females raise ducklings through early to mid summer; by late summer or early fall, successful breeders and their young also migrate. Pintails are known for an early fall migration, with numbers building at northern stopovers by September. Through fall they move to wintering areas. In winter, they often aggregate in large flocks on rich feeding grounds (like flooded fields). As one of the earliest nesting ducks, they also depart wintering sites earlier – by February, drakes are displaying and many pintails begin the journey northwards, arriving on breeding grounds by March or April to take advantage of early thaw and open wetlands.