Northern pintail

Description:

The male Northern pintail breeding plumage has a dark brown head, white breast and throat, and a white line extending up the neck. The body is light gray with black-edged feathers, and the belly is white. The rump and the long tail are black. The female (pic 4) is mottled brown-and-black with a pointed tail and dark bronze speculum on its wing. Both sexes have gray legs and a dark gray bill, although the bill of the male is lined with blue on the sides.

Habitat:

Spotted in the mud flats at low tide at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. During the breeding season, Northern Pintails use shallow ponds and marshes in open areas. In winter they can be found around shallow wetlands, exposed mudflats, flooded fields, or lakes. During migration, they have been seen in offshore waters.