Additionally, another whistling duck, the fulvous, not only has similar traits as black-bellied, they share the same habitat. Literature Cited. 2011. This species also wanders rarely throughout the West Indies, except in Cuba, where small numbers have become resident, and on Barbados. Figure 1. Whistling ducks are tasty on the plate. Neotropical Birds has been integrated into the new Birds of the World , a powerful research database offering species accounts for every species on earth. Its body is mostly chestnut, with a black belly and a gray face. Distribution of the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck in the Americas. Like the black-bellied, there is limited information. In the United States, they winter primarily in southern coastal Texas. 1990. Some taxonomists list … See text for details. NBR 79: 99-111. In places like Texas and Louisiana, watch for noisy flocks of these gaudy ducks dropping into fields to forage on seeds, or loafing on golf course ponds. They are not true ducks. Taxonomy and evolution [ edit ] Whistling ducks were first described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae in 1758: the black-bellied whistling duck (then Anas autumnalis) and the West Indian whistling duck (then Anas arborea). Brogie, M.A. The white patch in the wings appears as a stripe down its wing while at rest. These are gregarious birds that are found in small and medium-sized flocks, though larger flocks of 1,000 ducks or more have been noted. The whistling ducks or tree ducks are a subfamily, Dendrocygninae, of the duck, goose and swan family of birds, Anatidae. Black-bellied Whistling-duck 43-53 cm; 530-890 g (nominate)#R, male 680-907 g, female 652-1021 g (fulgens)#R. Unmistakable. Also, both are nocturnal-crepuscular, where in the twilight, few hunters can tell what species they are shooting at or differentiate what the call (whistle) they make. Check out the full taxonomy and distribution of Black-bellied Whistling-duck on HBW Alive. The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck is a boisterous duck with a brilliant pink bill and an unusual, long-legged silhouette. Labedz, T.E. Photograph (top) of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Omaha, Douglas Co, on 11 Nov 2010 by Phil Swanson. 1990 Third report of the NOU Records Committee. HBW Alive contains information on Descriptive notes, Voice, Habitat, Food and Feeding, Breeding, Movements, Status and Conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account. Sexes alike, but male may have slightly darker ab Whistling Ducks There are eight species of Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna), Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Plumed Whistling Duck, Spotted Whistling Duck, Wandering Whistling Duck, West Indian Whistling Duck, and the White-faced Whistling Duck, all found at WWT Slimbridge: - Black-bellied whistling duck are widespread and common in Central America and South America … Grenon, A.G. 1990. Black-bellied Whistling-duck populations are currently stable or increasing. A fairly new arrival on the Louisiana waterfowl scene is the black bellied whistling duck, which whistles when nesting. Adult In flight shows a large white patch on the upperwings. In other taxonomic schemes, they are considered a separate family, Dendrocygnidae. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck. NBR 58: 90-97. 2010 (22 nd) Report of the NOU Records Committee. Black-bellied whistling ducks are migratory in the northern- and southernmost limits of their range. While Birds of the World is a subscription service, we remain committed to offering this content to Neotropical Birds contributors and to those unable to pay for it through our scholarship program. Adult Long-necked duck with a red bill and long red legs. Occasional records in the southwestern and eastern United States and Ontario may involve both wild and escaped birds. Large flocks are often observed in wintering areas in the lowlands of Mexico, though formerly more abundant in interior Mexico than at present. It has expanded its range significantly in the latter half of the 20th century, and has benefited in recent years from the placement of nest boxes across key portions of the north of its range. Black-bellied whistling-ducks perch high in trees, often over water, and can frequently be heard calling and whistling as they fly to good foraging areas.