Whistling-Ducks
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Whistling-Ducks, formerly called Tree Ducks, are so named because of their whistling calls. They have long legs and necks, looking like a cross between a goose and a duck. They inhabit fresh and brackish ponds, marshes, and streams. While both are ground foragers, the Fulvous more often feeds on and below the surface of the water. The Fulvous nests on the ground. The Black-bellied usually nests in a tree cavity 8-30" above the ground. It usually nests in colonies and occasionally nests on the ground and in nest boxes. Both may mate for life. The Fulvous is more common than the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck which is expanding its range from Sarasota County and is sometimes seen in North Florida. |
| name | area | season | diet/native food plants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black-bellied Whistling-Duck | NCS | SpSuFW-B | seeds*, grains, snails, insects aquatic plants, grasses, sedge |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | CS | SpSuFW-B | seeds* aquatic plants, grasses, sedge |
Sp=spring Su=summer F=fall W=winter B=breeds in Florida during season(s) underlined M=Migrant | |||