| Whistling ducks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Black-bellied whistling duck | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Dendrocygninae Reichenbach, 1850 |
| Genus: | Dendrocygna Swainson, 1837 |
| Type species | |
| Anas arcuata Horsfield, 1824 | |
Thewhistling ducks ortree ducks are asubfamily,Dendrocygninae, of theduck,goose andswan family ofbirds,Anatidae. In othertaxonomic schemes, they are considered a separatefamily,Dendrocygnidae. Some taxonomists list only one genus,Dendrocygna, which contains eight living species, and one undescribed extinct species fromAitutaki of theCook Islands, but other taxonomists also list thewhite-backed duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) under the subfamily.
Whistling ducks were firstdescribed byCarl Linnaeus in the10th edition ofSystema Naturae in 1758: theblack-bellied whistling duck (thenAnas autumnalis) and theWest Indian whistling duck (thenAnas arborea).[1] In 1837,William Swainson named the genusDendrocygna to distinguish whistling ducks from the otherwaterfowl.[2] Thetype species was listed as thewandering whistling duck (D. arcuata), formerly named byThomas Horsfield asAnas arcuata.[3]
Whistling ducktaxonomy, including that of the entireorderAnseriformes, is complicated and disputed.[4] Under a traditional classification proposed byornithologistJean Théodore Delacour based onmorphological and behavioral traits,[5][6] whistling ducks belong to thetribe Dendrocygnini under thefamilyAnatidae and subfamilyAnserinae.[6][7] Following the revisions by ornithologistPaul Johnsgard, Dendrocygnini includes thegenusThalassornis (thewhite-backed duck) under this system.[7][8]
In 1997,Bradley C. Livezey proposed thatDendrocygna were a separate lineage from Anserinae, placing it and its tribe in its own subfamily, Dendrocygninae. AlternativelyCharles Sibley andJon Edward Ahlquist recommended placingDendrocygna in its own family, Dendrocygnidae, which includes the genusThalassornis.[6][7]
|
|
Eight species of whistling duck are currently recognized in the genusDendrocygna. However, Johnsgard considers the white-backed duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) from Africa andMadagascar to be distinct ninth species,[13] a view first proposed in 1960 and initially supported by behavioral similarities. Later, similarities in anatomy, duckling vocalizations, and feather proteins gave additional support.[8]Molecular analysis in 2009 also suggested that the white-backed duck was nested within the whistling duckclade.[12] In addition to theextant species,subfossil remains of an extinct, undescribed species have been found onAitutaki of theCook Islands.[14]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indian whistling duck
| Dendrocygna arborea (Linnaeus,1758) | Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Hispaniola (both the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico. | Size: Length of 48 to 58 cm (19 to 23 in). The female weighs from 800 to 1,320 g (1.76 to 2.91 lb) and the male weighs from 760 to 1,240 g (1.68 to 2.73 lb) Habitat: Diet: | NT
|
| Wandering whistling duck
| Dendrocygna arcuata (Horsfield, 1824) Three subspecies
| Australia, the Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands | Size: 54–60 cm in height and weigh on average 750 grams. Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Black-bellied whistling duck
| Dendrocygna autumnalis (Linnaeus,1758) | southernmost United States, Mexico, and tropical Central to south-central South America | Size: Length ranges from 47 to 56 cm (19 to 22 in), body mass from 652 to 1,020 g (1.437 to 2.249 lb), and wingspan ranges from 76 to 94 cm (30 to 37 in). Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Fulvous whistling duck
| Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieillot, 1816) | Mexico and South America, the West Indies, the southern United States, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. | Size: 45–53 cm (18–21 in) long; the male weighs 748–1,050 g (26.4–37.0 oz), and the female averages marginally lighter at 712–1,000 g (25.1–35.3 oz) Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Plumed whistling duck
| Dendrocygna eytoni (Eyton, 1838) | Australia. | Size: Measuring 42–60 cm (16.5–23.5 in) and weighing around one kilogram (2.2 lb) Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Spotted whistling duck
| Dendrocygna guttata (Schlegel, 1866) | Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and the Philippines | Size: 43–50 cm tall. Males can weigh anywhere from 590g to 650g while females weigh 610g to 860g. Habitat: Diet: | LC
|
| Lesser whistling duck
| Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield, 1821) | Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| White-faced whistling duck
| Dendrocygna viduata (Linnaeus, 1766) | sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
Whistling ducks are found in the tropics and subtropics. As their name implies, they have distinctive whistling calls.[citation needed]
The whistling ducks have long legs and necks, and are very gregarious, flying to and from night-time roosts in large flocks. Both sexes have the sameplumage, and all have a hunched appearance and black underwings in flight.[citation needed]
After breeding and pairing with a female, male whistling ducks (especially within theFulvous whistling duck species) will often help with the construction of nests and will take turns with the female incubating the eggs.
Media related toDendrocygna at Wikimedia Commons
_RWD4.jpg)
.jpg)
-_after_bath_at_Kolkata_I_IMG_2480.jpg)
_(53117864645).jpg)
