The fulvous whistling duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) belongs to the family Anatidae. The fulvous whistling duck is distributed in Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, Indian Subcontinent and Myanmar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these duck species and had listed them as of 'Least Concern'.
These ducks are medium sized, measuring 45 to 55 cm in length and weighing 500 to 1,000 grams. The male ducks are slightly larger than the females. They have reddish brown plumage.
The upper tail-coverts are whitish. They have whitish stripes on the flanks. A distinctive crescent white band across black tail can be seen during flight. The legs are long with bluish grey tinge.
The bill is grey in color. The birds do not wade and walk normally. They give whistling call during flight. These ducks also have characteristic humped back and long neck.
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| Indian birds - Fulvous whistling-duck - Dendrocygna bicolor |
The fulvous whistling duck is found in open flat lowland marshes, paddy fields and swamps. They avoids wooded areas. They make seasonal movements in search of feed and water. They feed on grains, especially paddy, seeds, fruits and other plant matter. These birds usually move in small groups.
In India, the breeding season is from June to October. The fulvous whistling ducks nest in dense vegetation close to water. The nest usually contains a clutch of about ten eggs. Both the parents take turn to incubate the eggs. The ducklings are precocial and leave the nest after a day. The parents protect the group of ducklings.
| Biological classification of Dendrocygna bicolor | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Dendrocygninae |
| Genus: | Dendrocygna |
| Species: | D. bicolor |
| Binomial name: | Dendrocygna bicolor |
| Distribution: | Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent |
| Feeding habits: | seeds, grains, fruits |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fulvous_whistling_duck.JPG
Author: Duncan Wright, aka Sabine's Sunbird | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic in Birds of India: Fulvous whistling-duck - Dendrocygna bicolor.