Common name: Northern Pintail
Scientific name: Anas acuta
Family: Anatidae

Size:
Body length: 50–70 cm
Wingspan: 80–95 cm
Weight: 600–1200 g

Identification:
A graceful, long-necked dabbling duck with a slim profile. The male is elegant with a chocolate-brown head, white neck stripe extending up the side of the neck, grey body, and a long, pointed tail. The female is mottled brown and more subdued but still shows the characteristic slender shape and longer neck compared to other ducks. Both sexes have a relatively narrow body and elongated appearance.

Habitat:
Shallow wetlands, marshes, lagoons, estuaries, and flooded fields.

Status in the UAE:
Common winter visitor. Widely recorded in wetlands across the country.

Diet:
Omnivorous — feeds on aquatic plants, seeds, and small invertebrates.

Behavior:
Often seen dabbling on the water surface or grazing in shallow water. Typically found in flocks during winter. Flight is fast and direct, with long, narrow wings. More wary than some other ducks.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)