White-Cheeked Pintail in Galápagos: Facts and Where to See It

The Charles Darwin Foundation describes the Galápagos bird as brown on top of the head with white cheeks and throat, which makes it look as if it were wearing a cap, and with a dark bill that turns pink or reddish at the base. Birds of the World adds red to red-brown eyes and dark grey legs.

• Subspecies. Anas bahamensis galapagensis lives in Galápagos.
• Wetland bird. BirdLife lists marshes and swamps as its main habitat, and brackish lagoons, lakes, rocky shallows and seagrass beds as suitable.

BirdLife describes the species' range as extremely large. Its main habitat is marshes and swamps; they also use brackish and saline pools, freshwater lakes and shallow coastal water with rocks, seagrass or seaweed. In Galápagos they are found in the lagoons behind beaches and in coastal wetlands.

Guide sighting records list pintails at 5 sites. Cerro Brujo on San Cristóbal is rated Possible; the lagoons at Punta Cormorant on Floreana, Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz, Punta Moreno and the Isabela Wetlands are rated Rare.

The guide records list pintails in every month. In the next twelve months, 771 departures stop at a site where they are seen.

No. BirdLife lists it as Least Concern, with 118,000 to 720,000 mature birds worldwide, although the population is decreasing. In Galápagos, park rules keep visitors on the trails and at least 2 metres (6 feet) from wildlife at the lagoons.

1. Skipping the lagoons. Pintails live behind the beaches, not on the sea.
2. Walking to the water's edge. Stay on the trail above the lagoon.
3. Confusing it with other ducks. Look for the white cheeks and the red bill base.