Overview
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.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Anas
- Species
- bahamenis
Habitat
It occurs on waters with some salinity, such as brackish lakes, estuaries and mangrove swamps.
Diet
The white-cheeked pintail feeds on aquatic plants and small creatures obtained by dabbling.
Behavior
A dabbling duck. Partly migratory. The nest is on the ground under vegetation and near water.
Hunting
Typically hunted with a 12 ga shotgun. Shot size #2-4 is sufficient. Effectively hunted with decoys and calling. Dogs are used for bird retrieval. Steel shot is required for waterfowl in the United States.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.