White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreWetlandScrapeLarge · 690 g

ID tip

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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-faced Whistling Duck

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the White-faced Whistling Duck

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 56 countries with regular records, and 11 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Somalia, Eritrea, Mayotte.

About the White-faced Whistling Duck

The white-faced whistling duck is a whistling duck that breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Black-bellied Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck · Lesser Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck · Fulvous Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck · Plumed Whistling Duck vs White-faced Whistling Duck

Watch the White-faced Whistling Duck on live cams

Tortilis Camp Waterhole, AmboseliAmboseli, Kenya · Africam / Elewana

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