Black-Bellied Whistling duck and duckling

Black-bellied Whistling duck and duckling... more

by TN Fairey

Title

Black-Bellied Whistling duck and duckling

Artist

TN Fairey

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Black-bellied Whistling duck and duckling
On one of my visited to the Bayou I could see mamma and her baby taking cover amongst the reeds. I was so excited when she finally emerged and was able to take this shot.

The Black-bellied Whistling also called Black-bellied Tree Duck, is a whistling duck that breeds from the southernmost United States and tropical Central to south-central South America. In the USA, it can be found year-round in parts of southeast Texas, and seasonally in southeast Arizona, and Louisiana's Gulf Coast. It is a rare breeder in such disparate locations as Florida, Arkansas, Georgia and South Carolina..
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is an unusual species among North American waterfowl. With its long legs, peculiar appearance and odd habits, it was described by one early American ornithologist as "most un-duck-like". Its numbers are increasing in North America.
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is quite unique among ducks in their strong monogamous pair-bond. Its pairs often stay together for many years, a trait more often associated with geese and swans. Both parents share all tasks associated with the raising of young, from incubation to the rearing of ducklings. The ducks, primarily cavity nesters, prefer the confines of a hollow tree, but will nest on the ground when necessary. They also make use of chimneys, abandoned buildings, or nest boxes, the latter having been increasingly provided to them over recent decades, especially in southeast Texas and Mexico. Ducklings leap from nest cavities within two days of hatching, can feed themselves immediately, and stay with the parents for up to eight weeks.

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September 7th, 2015