# White-cheeked Pintail

Scientific name: Anas bahamensis

Bird group: [duck](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/duck)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/40/White-cheeked-Pintail

## Identification

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 Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae under its current scientific name.
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.


## Distribution and habitat

The White-cheeked Pintail occurs generally through The Bahamas, 
Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands, 
northern Lesser Antilles, and 
much of South America (Raffaele 
and others 1998). The Puerto 
Rico population is estimated 
at 3,755 individuals, although 
seasonal variation in abundance 
and distribution is variable due to wetland hydrochemical 
conditions, which affect food 
resources (Rivera-Milán and 
Bonilla-Martínez 2007). Pintails 
have been documented traveling 
back and forth between Culebra 
and the Humacao marshes in the 
east coast (Collazo and Bonilla-
Martínez 2001) but can also be 
found in mangroves and lagoons 
throughout the island (Biaggi 1997, Raffaele 1989a). It is a fairly 
common resident in Vieques 
(Gemmill 2015). Habitat includes 
mostly fresh to hypersaline water 
bodies (Raffaele and others 
1998) including ponds, lagoons, 
and mangrove swamps (Oberle 
2018). The atlas fieldwork 
yielded a total of 123 records 
within 59 hexagons or 12 
percent of the 479 total hexagons 
(see map). Of the 59 hexagons 
where this species was found, 
breeding met the atlas definition 
of confirmed in 25 percent (15) 
of the hexagons, probable in 42 
percent (25), and possible in 27 
percent (16), while the species 
was observed in 5 percent (3) 
of the hexagons but without 
evidence of breeding (see map).  White-cheeked Pintail distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones 
in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       31White-cheeked Pintail/Pato Quijada Colorada

## Breeding

The White-cheeked Pintail scrape nest is made on dry 
land covered by a clump of 
vegetation, sometimes far from 
water (Raffaele and others 1998). 
Previously published reports 
indicate that this species breeds 
primarily from February to June, 
but the season varies depending 
upon rainfall (Raffaele and others 
1998). Atlas results show that 
this species breeds throughout 
the year with the most breeding 
activity from May to July (see 
chart). The breeding activity 
peaks in June, and it mostly 
takes place within the subtropical 
dry forest life zone (see chart). 
Results show that this species breeds mostly in lowlands 
within the subtropical dry forest 
life zone (59 percent of the 
hexagons) and less frequently 
within the subtropical moist 
forest life zone (41 percent of the 
hexagons) (see table and map).

## Conservation

The current global population trend of the White-cheeked 
Pintail is described as 
decreasing. However, some 
populations may be stable, 
and others have unknown 
trends (Wetlands International 
2012). This species is currently 
listed as a species of least 
concern by the IUCN (BirdLife 
International 2016). In Puerto Rico, Rivera- Milán and Bonilla-Martínez (2007) note 
that the pintail is threatened 
by anthropogenic disturbances 
including habitat loss and 
deterioration and illegal hunting, 
and therefore recommend that 
more information be obtained 
on demography and movements 
and that hunting continue to be 
prohibited. In Puerto Rico, the 
White-cheeked Pintail is locally 
listed as vulnerable (PRDNER 
2016) and has a protected habitat 
in land of 16 percent or 214 
km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (1338 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_040_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_040_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.