Northern Pintails

Wethead As a dabbling duck, pintails feed with their heads under the water. This drake has just surfaced so his head is still slicked back with a sheen of water. Pintails are such elegant and stately ducks that I wish more of them would overwinter here — it’s not often that I get a close look like I did on this day.

What’s In A Name Many birds are named based on their physical appearance, and pintails are no exception. This dabbling pintail drake shows off the feature that gives it its name: the long, thin pointed tail feathers.