One of my favorite ducks is really not like any other duck. The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is unique and lives all year round in the southeast part of Texas. I believe they live in some parts of Louisiana and Arkansas too. I have read that these ducks are flocking in great numbers to Audubon Park in New Orleans.
I just love watching these “gregarious” ducks, as they are often called in my Texas surroundings. Gregarious, because they stick together in large flocks. They are very social ducks. These ducks have a very distinct bird call that sounds like a whistle as they fly from their nesting grounds to their feeding grounds. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks usually stay with one mate and they take care of their ducklings together. Here is a photo I took of this little family of birds swimming in the algae covered lakes in Brazos Bend State Park.
I have noticed that the Black-bellied Whistling ducks like to nest around water and in grass covered fields. There were known at one time as tree ducks because they like to perch in trees. I have not personally witnessed the perching in trees, but they do like to perch. Below are some photos that I took yesterday while visiting my parents in a Del Webb community in Fort Bend County. This planned community has some beautiful man made lakes. This flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks have claimed Del Webb as their home. I wonder if they know there is a rule that you must be 55 or older to reside in this community. One of their favorite perching spots is on the rod-iron fence by the clubhouse. These ducks could possible be a nuisance to some of the Del Webb residents, but I could sit and watch these ducks for hours!
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks perched at the Del Webb Clubhouse.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks posing for pictures.
I think the main reason I love these ducks is because they are so easy to identify. Ducks are hard for me to distinguish between. The distinct features of the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks make them so easy to identify. These ducks have long necks and they protrude them out more than any other duck. Their bright reddish-pink bill and pink legs are hard not to miss. The black belly and the beautiful chestnut color on their heads and rest of their body make them exotic. The distinct white feather band on their wings makes them easy to identify in flight. They also have a bright white eye ring that makes their eyes easy to photograph.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are very colorful!
Since these ducks are very gregarious, they are a blast to watch especially as they fly in to perch next to each other on the rail. Each Duck seemed to experiment with their own landing techniques.
Joining the flock at the country club.
Once these ducks arrive they are welcomed by the others. Sometimes they are not always greeted in a favorable way. Perhaps this is where the term “angry birds” came from. Just watching the unusual ways they perch on the rail is amusing. Be sure to check out the one-legged headless duck.
Angry Birds
One-legged Headless Black-bellied Whistling Duck
As I have read and learned more about these regional ducks, I have recently corrected a misconception that I had about these ducks. As these ducks were flying over our homes making their beautiful whistling calls in the evening, I just assumed they were going home to their nests. I found out that at dusk these birds are probably flying to a feeding area. They eat in the evening and fly to surrounding farming areas to feed on seeds. So the next time you hear the whistling ducks go by, I hope you have a real good picture of them in your heads.
