White-cheeked Pintail
The White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis), also known as the Bahama Pintail or Summer Duck, is a species of dabbling duck. It was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 under its current scientific name.
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| Anas bahamensis |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/berniedup/
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| Anas bahamensis |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76868228@N08/
Distribution and habitat
It is found in the Caribbean, South America, and the Galápagos Islands. It occurs on waters with some salinity, such as brackish lakes, estuaries and mangrove swamps. There are three subspecies:
- A. b. bahamensis - Lesser Bahama Pintail - in the Caribbean, and a vagrant to southern Florida
- A. b. rubirostris - Greater Bahama Pintail - in South America; it may be partly migratory, breeding in Argentina and wintering further north.
- A. b. galapagensis - Galapagos Pintail - in the Galapagos
Description
Like many southern ducks, the sexes are similar. It is mainly brown with white cheeks and a red-based grey bill (young birds lack the pink). It cannot be confused with any other duck in its range.
Behaviour
The White-cheeked Pintail feeds on aquatic plants and small creatures obtained by dabbling. The nest is on the ground under vegetation and near water.
Aviculture
It is popular in wildfowl collections, and escapees are frequently seen in a semi-wild condition in Europe. A leucistic (whitish) variant is known in aviculture as the Silver Bahama Pintail.
