Northern Pintail
Anas acuta

f5.6 @ 1/2500s, ISO:1000, Nikon D300S w 300mm

\"Northern Pintail,\" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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. The unmistakable breeding plumaged male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area. The vent area is yellow, contrasting with the black underside of the tail, which has the central feathers elongated to as much as 10 cm (3.9 in). The bill is bluish and the legs are blue-grey.

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada

03/09/2013