
Pintail
Irish Name: | Biorearrach |
Scientific name: | Anas acuta |
Bird Family: | Ducks |
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Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Local winter visitor to wetlands throughout Ireland from October to March.
Identification
Large, elegant duck, males with elongated tail feathers, brown head, white breast and lower neck, the white extending as a narrow stripe into the brown on either side of the head. Grey flanks, black rump, blackish-green speculum, bordered by white at the rear, and pale rufous at the front. Females brown and scalloped with long pointy tail
Voice
Males with clear whistle 'krru', lower pitched than Teal.
Diet
Their diet consists largely of plant seeds and underwater plants, while insects and crustaceans are also eaten. They also feed on farmland, particularly stubble.
Breeding
Nest in shallow freshwater marshes, small lakes and rivers, preferably with dense vegetation cover. Small breeding population of between 30 and 40 pairs in Britain, and there have been a few breeding records in Ireland - one pair in County Down in 1994
Wintering
In winter, they form large flocks on brackish coastal lagoons, in estuaries and on large inland lakes.
Monitored by
Blog posts about this bird
BirdWatch Ireland expresses disappointment at outcome of Open Seasons Order review
BirdWatch Ireland acknowledges publication of changes to the Open Seasons Order by Minister Noonan for the coming season.
The removal of four duck species – Scaup, Pochard, Goldeneye and Pintail – due to severe declines in their populations shows some progress by the Minister to address the vulnerable status of these species. However, BirdWatch Ireland is disappointed that two additional species that we recommended for removal – Shoveler and Golden Plover – remain on the list though the science clearly shows declines in those populations also.
No rationale has been provided as to why these species remain on the list. The information provided announcing the decision is inadequate and lacking detail. The most severe impacts to waterbirds and wading birds that are on the Open Seasons Order relate to habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disturbance and climate change. However, every pressure and threat must be addressed considering the dire conservation status of many of the species that are huntable in Ireland. We hope that hunting organisations will support this decision and we also hope that government will assist hunting organisations to be able to contribute to data collection in Ireland.
Earlier this year, BirdWatch Ireland called for six of the 21 bird species currently permitted to be hunted under the Open Seasons Order to be removed from the list, a suggestion underpinned by the robust scientific evidence of their ongoing declines in Ireland. We also urged for more analysis to be undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to determine how best to proceed in relation to nine of the other species listed. These proposals were some of many made as part of our submission to the public consultation on the review of the Open Seasons Order for Birds.