email a friend
printable version
closeLC
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 6,580,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 6,580,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 6.8 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The population is estimated to number 5,300,000-5,400,000 individuals. | ||||
| Trend justification: The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations may be stable and others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006). This species has undergone a large and statistically significant decrease over the last 40 years in North America (-77.3% decline over 40 years, equating to a -31% decline per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Albania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Anguilla (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Aruba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Australia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Austria | Native | No | |||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bahamas | Native | No | |||
| Bahrain | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Bangladesh | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Barbados | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Native | No | |||
| Belize | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bermuda (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Bhutan | Native | No | |||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Vagrant | No | |||
| Brazil | Vagrant | No | |||
| Brunei | Vagrant | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Burkina Faso | Native | No | |||
| Burundi | Native | No | |||
| Cambodia | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Canada | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Vagrant | No | |||
| Central African Republic | Native | No | |||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | |||
| Colombia | Native | No | |||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Cook Islands | Vagrant | No | |||
| Costa Rica | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Croatia | Native | No | |||
| Cuba | Native | No | |||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Cyprus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | |||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Dominica | Native | No | |||
| Dominican Republic | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| El Salvador | Native | No | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Finland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| France | Native | No | Yes | ||
| French Polynesia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Gabon | Vagrant | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Greenland (to Denmark) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guatemala | Native | No | |||
| Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Guyana | Native | No | |||
| Haiti | Native | No | |||
| Honduras | Native | No | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | Native | No | |||
| Hungary | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Iceland | Native | No | |||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Indonesia | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Ireland | Native | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | |||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Jamaica | Vagrant | No | |||
| Japan | Native | No | |||
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kiribati | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Laos | Native | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Liberia | Native | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Native | No | |||
| Lithuania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Luxembourg | Native | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Malaysia | Native | No | |||
| Maldives | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Native | No | |||
| Marshall Islands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Martinique (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Mexico | Native | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mongolia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Native | No | |||
| Montserrat (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Myanmar | Native | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Native | No | |||
| Nicaragua | Native | No | |||
| Niger | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| North Korea | Native | No | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Norway | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Oman | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Palestinian Authority Territories | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Panama | Native | No | |||
| Papua New Guinea | Vagrant | No | |||
| Philippines | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Portugal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | Native | No | |||
| Qatar | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Romania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Rwanda | Native | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Native | No | |||
| Seychelles | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sierra Leone | Native | No | |||
| Singapore | Native | No | |||
| Sint Maarten (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | |||
| Slovenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Korea | Native | No | |||
| South Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Spain | Native | No | |||
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | |||
| St Kitts and Nevis | Native | No | |||
| St Lucia | Native | No | |||
| St Martin (to France) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | Native | No | |||
| Sudan | Native | No | |||
| Suriname | Native | No | |||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Sweden | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | |||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Thailand | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Tonga | Vagrant | No | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Vagrant | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turkey | Native | No | |||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Uganda | Native | No | |||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom | Native | No | |||
| United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| USA | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | |||
| Venezuela | Native | No | |||
| Vietnam | Native | No | |||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Western Sahara | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Native | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Hamun-i-Puzak |  |
| Algeria | Barrage de la Cheffia | |
| Bangladesh | Aila Beel | |
| Bangladesh | Hakaluki Haor | |
| Bangladesh | Jamuna-Brahmaputra river | |
| Bangladesh | Muhuri Dam | |
| Bangladesh | Tanguar Haor and Panabeel | |
| Belgium | Durme en Middenloop van de Schelde | |
| Belgium | IJzervallei-De Blankaart | |
| Cameroon | Lake Maga | |
| Canada | Big Piskwanish Point | |
| Canada | Boundary Bay - Roberts Bank - Sturgeon Bank (Fraser River Estuary) | |
| Canada | Queen Maud Gulf | |
| Chad | Lake Chad | |
| Chad | Lake Fitri | |
| China (mainland) | Qinghai Hu (Koko Nor) | |
| China (mainland) | Xingkai Hu Nature Reserve | |
| Denmark | Fanø | |
| Denmark | Fiilsø | |
| Denmark | Rømø | |
| Denmark | Tøndermarsken, Magisterkog and Rudbøl Sø | |
| Denmark | Vadehavet (Wadden Sea) | |
| Estonia | Lahemaa | |
| Estonia | Pärnu bay (NEW) | |
| Estonia | Väinameri | |
| Finland | Oulu region wetlands | |
| Finland | Pori archipelago and wetlands | |
| France | Baie de Saint-Brieuc | |
| France | Baie de Vilaine | |
| France | Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin | |
| France | Basses Vallées Angevines | |
| France | Bassin d'Arcachon et Banc d'Arguin | |
| France | Cap Gris-nez | |
| France | Domaine d'Orx | |
| France | Estuaire de la Loire | |
| France | Estuaire et embouchure de la Seine | |
| France | Estuaires picards : baies de Somme et d'Authie | |
| France | Golfe du Morbihan et Etier de Penerf | |
| France | Ile d'Oléron, marais de Brouage-Saint-Agnant | |
| France | La Dombes | |
| France | Lac de Grand-Lieu | |
| France | Marais de Brière | |
| France | Marais de Mazerolles-Petit Mars | |
| France | Marais et forêt d'Olonne | |
| France | Traicts et marais salants de la Presqu'île Guérandaise | |
| France | Vallée de l'Aisne | |
| Greece | Amvrakikos gulf | |
| India | Kanjli Lake | |
| India | Krishnarajasagar Reservoir | |
| India | Nalabana Bird Sanctuary (Chilika Lake) | |
| India | Patna Bird Sanctuary | |
| India | Saman Bird Sanctuary | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Anzali Mordab complex | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Arjan Protected Area | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Dorudsan dam | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Fereidoonkenar marshes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Gavekhoni lake, and marshes of the lower Zaindeh Rud | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Ghara Gheshlaq No-Hunting Area | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Gomishan marshes and Turkoman steppes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Hamoun-i Sabari and Hamoun-i Hirmand | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Hilleh Protected Area | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Izeh and Sheikho lakes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Kaftar lake | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Lake Bakhtegan, Lake Tashk and Kamjan marshes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Miankaleh Peninsula and Gorgan Bay | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Seyed Mohalli, Zarin Kola and Larim Sara | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Shadegan marshes and tidal mudflats of Khor-al Amaya and Khor Musa | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Shur Gol, Yadegarlu and Dorgeh Sangi lakes | |
| Iraq | Haur Al Hammar | |
| Japan | Abukumagawa river | |
| Japan | Izunuma and nearby lakes | |
| Japan | Lake Hyoko | |
| Japan | Lake Komukeko and Lake Shibunotsunaiko | |
| Japan | Mawarizeki and Sunazawa reservoir | |
| Japan | Mogamigawa estuary | |
| Japan | Otomonuma reservoir | |
| Kazakhstan | Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve | |
| Kazakhstan | Tuzashchy and Karasor Lakes | |
| Kazakhstan | Zhumay-Mayshukyr Lake System | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Eastern Issyk Kul Lake | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Tulek Valley | |
| Latvia | Irbe strait | |
| Lithuania | The northern part of the Curonian Lagoon | |
| Mali | Lac Débo - Lac Oualado Débo | |
| Mali | Lac Faguibine | |
| Mali | Lac Horo | |
| Mali | Séri | |
| Mauritania | Diawling National Park | |
| Mauritania | Lac d'Aleg | |
| Mauritania | Lac de Mâl | |
| Mauritania | Rkîz | |
| Mauritania | Tâmourt en Na'âj | |
| Mongolia | Khar Us Lake | |
| Mongolia | Uvsiin Khar Lake | |
| Netherlands | Balgzand | |
| Netherlands | Grevelingen | |
| Netherlands | Lake Volkerak | |
| Netherlands | Lauwersmeer | |
| Netherlands | Oosterschelde | |
| Netherlands | Oostvaardersplassen | |
| Netherlands | Schiermonnikoog | |
| Netherlands | Terschelling: De Boschplaat | |
| Netherlands | Wadden Sea | |
| Netherlands | Westerschelde and Saeftinghe | |
| Niger | Chiya wetland | |
| Nigeria | Hadejia-Nguru wetlands | |
| Pakistan | Pugri Lake | |
| Pakistan | Rann of Kutch Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Pakistan | Rasool Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Philippines | Candaba swamp | |
| Poland | Biebrza river valley | |
| Poland | Lower Odra river valley | |
| Russia (Asian) | Bolon' lake | |
| Russia (Asian) | Forty islands | |
| Russia (Asian) | Kava valley | |
| Russia (Asian) | Kharchinskoye lake | |
| Russia (Asian) | Kolyma delta | |
| Russia (Asian) | Kolyma-Alazeya lowland | |
| Russia (Asian) | Korfa bay (northern part) | |
| Russia (Asian) | Parapol'skiy valley | |
| Russia (Asian) | Semyachik lagoon | |
| Russia (Asian) | Zhupanovskiy lagoon | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Basins of the Schuchya and Khadytayakha rivers | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Dvuob'ye | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Lower Ob' | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Upper and Middle Yuribey | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Upper streams of Ob' river | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Valley of headwaters of the river Schuchya | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Algashka river | |
| Russia (European) | Kizlyar Bay | |
| Russia (European) | Petrocrepost' Bay | |
| Russia (European) | River Chernaya | |
| Russia (European) | Russki Zavorot Peninsula and eastern part of Malozemelskaya Tundra | |
| Russia (European) | Torna - Shoina watershed | |
| Senegal | Djoudj wetlands | |
| South Korea | Cheonsu Bay | |
| South Korea | Upo swamp | |
| Spain | Eo river estuary-Barayo beach-Ría de Foz | |
| Sweden | Lake Hornborgasjön | |
| Tunisia | Sebkhet Kelbia | |
| Ukraine | Syvash Bay | |
| United Kingdom | Burry Inlet | |
| United Kingdom | Dee Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Duddon Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Loch of Isbister | |
| United Kingdom | Martin Mere | |
| United Kingdom | Medway Estuary and Marshes | |
| United Kingdom | Mersey Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Mid-Essex Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Mill Dam, Shapinsay | |
| United Kingdom | Morecambe Bay | |
| United Kingdom | Nene Washes | |
| United Kingdom | North Norfolk Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Ouse Washes | |
| United Kingdom | Pagham Harbour | |
| United Kingdom | Ribble and Alt Estuaries | |
| United Kingdom | Severn Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Somerset Levels and Moors | |
| United Kingdom | The Swale | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | Upper Solway Flats and Marshes | |
| USA | Catahoula, Dewey Wills, and Three Rivers | |
| Uzbekistan | Sudochye Lake | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | major | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 0 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Food (human) | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Anas acuta. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Anatidae (Ducks, geese and swans) |
| Species name author | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 6,580,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
|
|