Photo: Lip Kee / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wandering Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata
Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 796 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 arcuata
Where it lives
Sumatra and Philippines to Australia, New Guinea, New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Arch.) and Fiji (southwestern Polynesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 796 g
- Diet
- Aquatic plant-eaters
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wandering Whistling Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Wandering Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU Sumatra and Philippines to Australia, New Guinea, New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.) and Fiji (sw Polynesia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 796 g, with a wing length of about 18.6 cm and a tail of around 5 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 4.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wandering Whistling Duck?
The Wandering Whistling Duck is a large bird that weighs around 796 g.
Where does the Wandering Whistling Duck live?
The Wandering Whistling Duck is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU Sumatra and Philippines to Australia, New Guinea, New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.) and Fiji (sw Polynesia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Wandering Whistling Duck belong to?
The Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Wandering Whistling Duck eat?
The Wandering Whistling Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the Wandering Whistling Duck migrate?
The Wandering Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Wandering 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 Wandering Whistling Duck make?
4 real field recordings of the Wandering 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 Wandering Whistling Duck's range?
The Wandering Whistling Duck has a mapped global range of about 4.9 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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