Northern Pintail Duck

With its graceful long neck and pointed tail feathers, the fast-flying northern pintail duck is nicknamed “greyhound of the air.” Nearly all of North America’s pintail ducks breed in the prairie pothole region in the Great Plains. Dotted with many shallow wetlands, this region is the most important waterfowl production area in the world. However, climate models predict the prairie potholes will face increased drought, which would dry up soil and water and alter hydrological processes. Drier conditions would hurt the northern pintail along with many other waterfowl species that call the prairie potholes home, including mallards, canvasback ducks, redheads, common goldeneyes, ruddy ducks, and buffleheads.

Scientific name: Anas acuta
Region: Midwest, West, Rockies, Southwest