Dendrocygna arborea
The West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is a distinctively elegant and elusive waterfowl species native to the Caribbean. Measuring 48-58 cm in length with a comparable wingspan, it sports a dark, mottled brown plumage, often appearing blackish on the back, contrasted by a white face patch below a dark crown. Its underparts are a rich chestnut, heavily speckled with prominent black spots, and it features a dark bill, long neck, and conspicuously long, dark legs, which are adaptat...
Primarily inhabits freshwater wetlands, brackish swamps, mangrove-lined lagoons, and sheltered coastal ponds, often preferring areas with dense emergent vegetation and mature trees for roosting, usually at low elevations.
Omnivorous, primarily consuming seeds, leaves, and stems of aquatic plants, cultivated grains, and fruits, supplemented opportunistically with small invertebrates and insects.
This species is largely crepuscular and nocturnal, foraging actively from dusk till dawn, and spending daylight hours roosting quietly, often perched high in trees or dense vegetation near water. Foraging involves dabbling in shallow water, grazing on emergent vegetation, and occasionally diving ...
The West Indian Whistling Duck is largely sedentary within its fragmented insular distribution across the Caribbean, primarily found year-round throughout the Greater Antilles, including Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Its range extends into the Bahamas ...
Vulnerable
- The 'whistling' in their name comes from their distinctive, high-pitched vocalizations, especially prominent in flight. - Unlike most ducks, they are highly arboreal, frequently perching high in trees and even nesting in tree cavities or abandoned arboreal nests. - They are predominantly noctur...