Bird Gallery Index

Northern Pintail (male) image © David McDonald

Family: (Anatidae) Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Preferred Habitat: Marshy ponds and lakes

Seasonal Occurrence: Common September through April

Notes: One of our most elegant ducks, the Northern Pintail is a very reliable winter resident on the Katy Prairie. It prefers open habitats and can be difficult to approach. Females pintails have soft mottled brown plumage. Only the males have the unusually long central tail feathers.
- Susan Billetdeaux