CANADA THE PINTALL 25 CENTS 2014

Description

The northern pintail is so named for its pin-like tail feathers. These long, skinny plumes accentuate the pintail's slender build. It's an elegant duck, with males typically sporting a chocolate-brown head, a blue-grey bill and a white neck with combinations of black, grey and white along the back, and a blackish-green patch called the "speculum" shimmering from grey wings.
In contrast, the female's colouring is far more muted to provide critical camouflage while nesting, but her bronze speculum and mottled brown feathers have an understated elegance all on their own.
The pintail is a fast and agile flyer. It's one of the first migratory birds to return to its Canadian nesting grounds after wintering in the south. The greatest numbers breed on the prairies and in the Western Arctic, where birders can delight in the graceful duck they affectionately call the "Greyhound of the Air."
Features
•  The specimen finish and the ducks' own reflections perfectly convey the stillness of the water, while the design itself is a celebration of a beloved species that can be found from the Canadian Arctic to the Prairies.
•  Birds are a popular theme that come alive in vibrant colour on your extra-large 25-cent coin. Your coin measures a full 35 millimetres across its diameter—plenty of space to showcase its endearing detailed design.
•  Captures a moment typically seen during Canada's seasonal cycle of a pair of migrating pintails.
•  Limited worldwide mintage of only 17,500 worldwide.
Specifications
Face Value: 25 cents
Mintage: 17,500
Composition: Cupronickel
Weight (g): 13.7
Diameter (mm): 35
Finish: Specimen