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Pintails: Reproduction |
Northern pintails are among the earliest nesting ducks in North America,
beginning shortly
after "ice-out" in many northern areas. Individuals form new pair bonds each winter
but are highly promiscuous during the nesting season, with mated and unmated males often
involved in vigorous, acrobatic flights in pursuit of hens, similar to the courtship
flights which begin as early as November in wintering regions. Females build their
nests on the ground usually in residual cover of short grasses or other vegetation,
in brush, or in the open including burned cover and plowed fields. The pintail is the
only duck species that regularly, and in large numbers, nests in grain stubble fields,
and pintails often place their nests at long distances from water. Only the female
incubates the eggs, and her mate leaves shortly after incubation begins to join other
males at large marshes. There, the bright breeding plumage is replaced with a cryptic
eclipse plumage; old flight feathers are dropped and regrown at this time as well,
prior to migration to wintering areas. Pintails lay from 8-12 eggs in the typical
nest, and ducklings hatch together in one day, follow the female to water after a day
in the nest, and fledge by July or August most years. Adults and ducklings consume
mainly aquatic invertebrates during the nesting season, increasing the quantity of
seeds as the young mature. Annual nest success and productivity (production of ducklings)
vary with water conditions, predation rates, and weather. |
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