Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-faced Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna viduata
White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Africa.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa and South America. Adults weigh 690 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
- Genus Dendrocygna
- Species viduata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 690 g
- Diet
- Aquatic plant-eaters
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-faced Whistling Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The White-faced Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. Its range spans Africa and South America. Its distribution covers AF, SA widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 690 g, with a wing length of about 21.4 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 27.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-faced Whistling Duck?
The White-faced Whistling Duck is a large bird that weighs around 690 g.
Where does the White-faced Whistling Duck live?
The White-faced Whistling Duck is found across Africa and South America with a range covering AF, SA widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-faced Whistling Duck belong to?
The White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the White-faced Whistling Duck eat?
The White-faced Whistling Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the White-faced Whistling Duck migrate?
The White-faced Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-faced Whistling Duck endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-faced Whistling Duck make?
4 real field recordings of the White-faced Whistling Duck — including its call, alarm call and flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-faced Whistling Duck's range?
The White-faced Whistling Duck has a mapped global range of about 27.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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