by Perry McCarney

Created on: April 22, 2008   Last Updated: October 02, 2009

Of the World's 162 waterfowl species, the white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is one of the more numerous. There are an estimated 1 million inhabiting South and Central America and up to 2 million in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is the most abundant resident duck in Africa where it lives a semi-nomadic existence, migrating between regions in response to water levels and food availability. Although relatively recent human agricultural practices in southern Africa appear to be modifying the white-faced whistling duck's traditional migratory patterns.

It gets its common name from the stunning contrast of a white face between a dark gray bill and a black cap that flows from the top of the head down the back of its neck, and the call it makes. They are very vocal while flying, emitting two or three notes in a clear, high-pitched, melodic whistle.

Description:

The white faced whistling duck is a comparatively small duck, up to 50 centimeters in length with the adult males, although smaller, weighing around 640 grams in comparison to the larger females 615 grams. Their lower necks and bodies are a chestnut color with white and black hatching on the sides, their lower breasts, bellies, tail, rump and wings are generally black or a slate grey, sometimes mixed with chestnut.

Ecology:

White-faced whistling ducks are primarily herbivores, their normal diet consisting of aquatic plants (95 percent), seeds and insects. Their increasing numbers in South Africa reflects their adaptive nature. They have adapted to sourcing large amounts of their food from agricultural areas growing maize. This has reduced the amount of time they must spend foraging and increased their ability to produce more offspring successfully, due to the higher energy content of the maize. Being a mostly nocturnal species reduces the hazard of irate farmers with shotguns!

The introduction of irrigation and constructed pools to supply farm stock with water in northern South Africa has massively increased the habitat available to these birds in what was previously a fairly dry area. As a result, many no longer migrate further north during winter, having habitat and high-energy food sources available to them in southern latitudes enabling them to survive through the comparatively lower seasonal temperatures.

In the Americas they still maintain their normal feeding habits, finding their nourishment in the freshwater marshes, grassy lagoons, flooded rice fields, mud flats and brackish

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