Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
(aka Red-billed Whistling-duck, Black-bellied Tree-duck)

Brazil

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.

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.

Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, Roraima, Brazil, July 2001 - click for a larger image

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.

Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil, December 2006 - click for a larger image

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.

Photos 1 to 3 were taken in Roraima and these birds were recorded by Jeremy Minns.

Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, Aguas de São Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil, December 2006 - click for a larger image

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