Photo: Germano Roberto Schüür / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fulvous Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna bicolor
Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of North America.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa, Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 756 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 bicolor
Where it lives
Widespread
Quick facts
- Weight
- 756 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA, AF, OR widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 756 g, with a wing length of about 22.3 cm and a tail of around 6.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 18.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fulvous Whistling Duck?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is a large bird that weighs around 756 g.
Where does the Fulvous Whistling Duck live?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is found across Africa, Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA, SA, AF, OR widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Fulvous Whistling Duck belong to?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Fulvous Whistling Duck eat?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck migrate?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Fulvous 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 Fulvous Whistling Duck make?
4 real field recordings of the Fulvous Whistling Duck — including its song, duet 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 Fulvous Whistling Duck's range?
The Fulvous Whistling Duck has a mapped global range of about 18.7 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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