Bird Guide

Lesser Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck

Lesser Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna javanica)

Lesser Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna javanica

Large520 gWetland

This chestnut brown duck is confusable only with the fulvous whistling duck (D. bicolor) but has chestnut upper-tail coverts unlike the creamy white in the latter. The ring around the eye is orange to yellow. When flying straight, their head is held below the level of the body as in other Dendrocygna species. The crown appears dark and the sexes are alike in plumage. They fly slowly but with rapid wing-flapping and usually produce a repetitive wheezy seasick call as they circle overhead. They are very nocturnal and often rest during the day.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Ujjal Kishor De · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: white_cheeked_barbet · CC BY 4.0
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: Lesser Whistling Duck and White-faced Whistling Duck.