Northern pintail (male)

Description:

The male of these large dabbling ducks have long central feathers. The unmistakable breeding plumaged male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area.

Habitat:

Spotted in flooded back-waters of the Nisqually river at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Notes:

The northern pintail's breeding habitat is open unwooded wetlands, such as wet grassland, lakesides or tundra. In winter, it will utilise a wider range of open habitats, such as sheltered estuaries, brackish marshes and coastal lagoons. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season and forms very large mixed flocks with other ducks.