Photo: ZankaM / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
West Indian Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna arborea
West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is a member of the Anatidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
- Genus Dendrocygna
- Species arborea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.1 kg
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The West Indian Whistling Duck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The West Indian Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA West Indies.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 25.7 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 102,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the West Indian Whistling Duck?
The West Indian Whistling Duck is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.
Where does the West Indian Whistling Duck live?
The West Indian Whistling Duck is found across North America with a range covering NA West Indies, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the West Indian Whistling Duck belong to?
The West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the West Indian Whistling Duck eat?
The West Indian Whistling Duck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the West Indian Whistling Duck migrate?
The West Indian Whistling Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the West Indian Whistling Duck endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the West Indian Whistling Duck make?
1 real field recording of the West Indian Whistling Duck — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the West Indian Whistling Duck's range?
The West Indian Whistling Duck has a mapped global range of about 102,000 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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