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White cheeked Pintail/Bahama Pintail

Anas bahamensis

Description:

I have been following this escapee Bahama pintail (native to the Caribbean, South America, and the Galápagos Islands) frequenting a nearby pond for a couple of summers, and have always wondered where it spent the winter. The answer is it stays in Switzerland in spite of the freezing conditions (see last shot)! More information in the notes.

Habitat:

An open pond with reeds and dense vegetation, the shores of which are frozen at this time of year as shown on the last shot. In its original habitat this duck is found in waters with a degree of salinity, such as brackish lakes, estuaries and mangrove swamps.

Notes:

Bahama pintails have been spotted in Europe, where they are escapees or descendents of escapees from bird parks. These ducks are mainly mottled brown with white cheeks, red at the base of the beak in the adult, a distinctive green and black speculum and a whitish tail. Mallards and tufted ducks are still found at this pond, as well as of two out-of-range ruddy shelducks (spotting to come) and a ferruginous duck. Previous spottings of this duck can be seen at http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/690... and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/619... (last shot).

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23 Comments

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you Sachin!

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 12 years ago

Lovely portrait

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you very much Luc! Merci!

LucBertrand
LucBertrand 12 years ago

Yes it's true it is very pretty and your photos are great. This is the first time I see a bird so beautiful duck. congratulation

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you again Satyen!

Wild Things
Wild Things 12 years ago

Lovely shots and info.

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thanks again Sarah!

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

once again.....FANTASTIC photos, girl! :)

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you FrancisQuintana!

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you very much Stian!

Stian Waaler
Stian Waaler 12 years ago

Amazing pictures Daniele! Very beautiful duck..

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

@Ismael: it's a very nice gesture of you...
@docfinsdave: thanks! Helped by crispy winter conditions.

Ismael Chaves
Ismael Chaves 12 years ago

I could not buy another one so I gave it to my friend who has several ducks so he is alone no more

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you again Ismael! I hope you're lone Muscovy duck is going OK...

Ismael Chaves
Ismael Chaves 12 years ago

Beautiful series Daniele

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

New pic added.

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

I hope so Atul, I've always seen them together...

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

hang on for some more time ,you might spot him too!!

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you Karen and Atul! Atul, his fellow escapee the ringed teal was unfortunately nowhere to be seen... to be followed next spring summer!

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thanks Saarbrigger! I actually like the third too...always hard to know which pic to put first...

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

wow its him again , i remember this one Daniele!!
nice pics !!!

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Nice portrait!

Saarbrigger
Saarbrigger 12 years ago

Beautiful duck. I like the third picture most.

DanielePralong
Spotted by
DanielePralong

Martigny, Valais - Wallis, Switzerland

Spotted on Jan 12, 2012
Submitted on Jan 12, 2012

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