Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Plumed Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna eytoni

Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of New Zealand Birds of the United States Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Indonesia Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Zealand Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United States Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australian Capital Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of New South Wales Ducks, Geese & Swans of Northern Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of Queensland Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Victoria

See what's near you right now

The Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 790 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Dendrocygna
Species eytoni

Where it lives

Australia (except southwestern, south-central, Tasmania)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 790 g
Diet: Plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Plumed Whistling Duck feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Plumed Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except sw, sc, Tasmania).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 790 g, with a wing length of about 23.2 cm and a tail of around 6.8 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 4.8 million km².

Songs & calls

Plumed Whistling Duck — Call

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Plumed Whistling Duck — Flight call

Recorded by Marc Anderson Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Plumed Whistling Duck — Call

Recorded by James Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Plumed Whistling Duck — Call

Recorded by Nigel Jackett Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

All Plumed Whistling Duck sounds, grouped by type →

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Plumed Whistling Duck?

The Plumed Whistling Duck is a large bird that weighs around 790 g.

Where does the Plumed Whistling Duck live?

The Plumed Whistling Duck is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except sw, sc, Tasmania), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Plumed Whistling Duck belong to?

The Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Plumed Whistling Duck eat?

The Plumed Whistling Duck feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Does the Plumed Whistling Duck migrate?

The Plumed Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Plumed 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 Plumed Whistling Duck make?

4 real field recordings of the Plumed Whistling Duck — including its 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 Plumed Whistling Duck's range?

The Plumed Whistling Duck has a mapped global range of about 4.8 million km².