| White-faced Whistling Duck | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Dendrocygninae |
| Genus: | Dendrocygna |
| Species: | D. viduata |
| Binomial name | |
| Dendrocygna viduata (Linnaeus, 1766) |
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The White-faced Whistling Duck ( Dendrocygna viduata) is a whistling duck which breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America.
This species is gregarious, and at favoured sites, the flocks of a thousand or more birds arriving at dawn are an impressive sight. As the name implies, these are noisy birds with a clear three-note whistling call.
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This species has a long grey bill, long head and longish legs. It has a white face and crown, and black rear head. The back and wings are dark brown to black, and the underparts are black, although the flanks have fine white barring. The neck is chestnut. All plumages are similar, except that juveniles have a much less contrasted head pattern.
The habitat is still freshwater lakes or reservoirs, with plentiful vegetation, where this duck feeds on seeds and other plant food.
This is an abundant species. It is largely resident, apart from local movements which can be 100 km or more.
It nests on a stick platform near the ground, and lays 8-12 eggs. Trees are occasionally used for nesting.
The White-faced Whistling Duck is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.