Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
ABNJB10110
Common Name: 
Northern Pintail
Scientific Name: 
Anas acuta
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Anseriformes
Family: 
Anatidae
References: 
B004
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

1
References: 
B999

Longevity

average age unknown, oldest known male was 21.25 years
References: 
CS06

Economic/Human Considerations

important to sport hunters in southern Canada and US
References: 
B999
Habitat
shallow freshwater
References: 
B004
R273
Distribution

Ecozones

Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic, Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Boreal Cordillera, Boreal Plains
References: 
B004

Distribution

0.88 (B004); ~90% of total NWT area. Range extent visually estimated from range map in "Distribution of birds in NWT & Nunavut: 2009 Review" (CWS).
Score: 
G
References: 
B004
Winter Distribution Description: 
mainly southern US and Mexico

Number of Occurrences

dispersed breeder
References: 
B999

Historical Distribution

unknown, but possibly similar to present
References: 
H127

Area of Occupancy

unknown; pob. Stable
Score: 
-
References: 
W119
R266
R270
Population

Population Size

271,588 NOPI in NWT in 2014 (data from 2014 USFWS waterfowl breeding surveys, strata 13-18 (W119accessed Feb 6, 2015)).
Score: 
G
References: 
CS01
W119

Density

dispersed breeder
Trends

Trends

In 2014, NOPI saw an increase of ~35% from the previous year and a 11% decline since 1955 (W119 C. & N. Alberta–N.E. British Columbia–NWT transects (strata 13-18, 20, & 77), continental population decline of 20% since 1955 (R270)Maintaining a healthy continental population seems to be dependent on prevailing conditions in the Prairies. Although NOPI numbers in the Western Boreal Region increased over 2013 numbers, they still remain below the NAWMP goal of 407,000 birds for this region (R266)
Score: 
F
References: 
W119
R266
R270
Threats

Threats

In north, pollution, development, global climate change,but in core southern breeding areas, pressures from loss of wetlands and upland nesting cover due to agriculture major problem; limited threats in NWT
Score: 
A
References: 
H308

Intrinsic Vulnerability

habitat carrying capacity may have been significantly reduced on a continental scale
Score: 
-
References: 
H308
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
Numbers have been below the NAWMP continental goal for 40 years and have not fully recovered despite several years of favorable water conditions on the prairies.
S Rank: 
S3
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by Jim Hines with review by S. Carriere, mostly based on printed material in 2000, Reviewed in 2005 by J. Hines and C. Swoboda based on printed literature only, no change in status; Reviewed in 2010;no change ; Reviewed by Ian Fife and Cindy Wood CWS in 2015, no change
Last Updated: 
April 2, 2015

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Bellrose, RC (1980) Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Wildlife Mangement Institute and Stackpole Books 3rd edition CWS office. Yellowknife - B999 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • USFWS (2014) Accessed by CWS Region (Ian Fife and Cindy Wood) February 2015 https://migbirdapps.fws.gov/mbdc/databases/mas/maydb.asp - W119 Return
  • Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (2014) CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. - R266 Return
  • Olson, S.M. (2014) United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Vancouver, WA. 114pp - R270 Return

Economic Status

  • Bellrose, RC (1980) Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Wildlife Mangement Institute and Stackpole Books 3rd edition CWS office. Yellowknife - B999 Return

Ecozones

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Plan Committee (2012) North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2012: People Conserving Waterfowl and Wetlands. Canadian Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. 48 pp - R273 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Hines, Jim (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H127 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Cindy Wood and Ian Fife (2015) e-copy - H308 Return

Longevity

  • M. K. Klimkiewicz, A. G. Futcher (1989) Longevity records of North American birds: supplement 1. Journal of Field Ornithology 60: 469–494 - CS06 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Bellrose, RC (1980) Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Wildlife Mangement Institute and Stackpole Books 3rd edition CWS office. Yellowknife - B999 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Bellrose, RC (1980) Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Wildlife Mangement Institute and Stackpole Books 3rd edition CWS office. Yellowknife - B999 Return

Population Size

Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee (2004) Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2004. CWS CWS Migratory Birds Regulations No. 13 http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/publications/AbstractTemplate.cfm?lang=e&id=1073 - CS01 Return
,
USFWS (2014) Accessed by CWS Region (Ian Fife and Cindy Wood) February 2015 https://migbirdapps.fws.gov/mbdc/databases/mas/maydb.asp - W119 Return

Range Extent

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Short Term Trends

  • USFWS (2014) Accessed by CWS Region (Ian Fife and Cindy Wood) February 2015 https://migbirdapps.fws.gov/mbdc/databases/mas/maydb.asp - W119 Return
  • Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (2014) CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. - R266 Return
  • Olson, S.M. (2014) United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Vancouver, WA. 114pp - R270 Return

Taxonomy

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Threats

  • Cindy Wood and Ian Fife (2015) e-copy - H308 Return