- Dendrocygna viduata
Identification
38–48 cm (15-19 inches)
- White face and crown
- Black rear head
- Dark brown to black back and wings
- Black underparts
- Finely barred white flanks
- Chestnut neck
- Long grey bill
Juveniles have a more muted head pattern.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America:
South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Zaire
Eastern Africa Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, eSwatini
African Islands: Cape Verde, Madagascar
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
A wide variety of wetlands, including still freshwater lakes or reservoirs, with plentiful vegetation.
Behaviour
Breeding
They nest on a stick platform near the ground, sometimes in trees. The clutch consists of 8-12 eggs.
Diet
Their varied diet consists of grass seeds and rice, with the addition of some aquatic invertebrates.
Vocalisation
Call': a clear three-note whistling call.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2015)
- BirdLife International
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-faced Whistling Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-faced_Whistling_Duck
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
