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Excerpt taken from
Arthur Grosset Birds (arthurgrosset.com)
Black-bellied
Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
(aka Red-billed Whistling-duck,
Black-bellied Tree-duck)
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The Black-bellied Whistling-duck is found
from southern USA through Central and South
America to northern Argentina. It prefers ponds
and lakes close to trees and often near
agricultural land. |
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It is essentially a vegetarian feeding on grass,
seeds and grain found by grazing on the ground
or dabbling in the water.
It is often seen perched on trees where it
also nests in tree holes. We saw some perched on
the top of dead Mauritia palms. |
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It is easily identified with its red bill and
legs, grey head, brown neck and back and black
belly. The
subspecies
Dendrocygna autumnalis discolor which is
seen in these photos differs from the nominate
subspecies in having a grey breast band between
the brown neck and the black belly.
In flight it is described as having a
"droopy" look but the most obvious features are
the white wing stripe and the red bill and legs
which differentiates it from all other flying
whistling-ducks. |
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Sick states
that "Flocks do not mix with
viduata or
other ducks" but as can be seen in the first two
photos, small groups do mix with White-faced
Whistling-ducks. |
Has
anyone noticed the Black Bellied Whistling
Ducks we have on the river. This is a
different kind of duck than I'm used to and
very beautiful. There seems to be a flock
holding steady just down from the 2611
bridge on the right hand side. I have also
seen a couple as far down river as Jan and
Roy Edwards house at rivers end. They are
neat ducks.