Bird Guide

Black-bellied Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Large755 gWetland

The black-bellied whistling duck is a mid-sized waterfowl species. Length ranges from 47 to 56 cm (19 to 22 in), body mass from 652 to 1,020 g (1.437 to 2.249 lb), and wingspan ranges from 76 to 94 cm (30 to 37 in). It has a long pink bill, long head and longish legs, pale gray head and mostly gray-brown plumage. The belly and tail are black, and the body plumage, back of the neck and cap are a rich chestnut brown. The face and upper neck are gray, and they sport a thin but distinct white eye-ring.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Contina Lab at UTRGV Brownsville · CC BY 4.0
Photo: (c) cello caruso-turiello, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by cello caruso-turiello · cc-by
White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata)

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Large690 gWetland

The white-faced whistling duck has a long grey bill, a long head, and longish legs. It has a black neck and head, and a distinctive white face that gives it its name, though the amount of white color visible has regional variations among the species. For example, the white-faced whistling ducks with more black coloration are commonly found in western Africa where rainfall supersedes the dry season. The back and wings are dark brown to black, and the underparts are black with a fine white barring on the flanks. The neck is chestnut. Males and females have similar plumage.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Marcelo Schmidt Roberti · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-bellied Whistling Duck and White-faced Whistling Duck.