| Whistling-ducks | |
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| File:Whistling duck flight02 - natures pics-edit1.png | |
| Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Birding Center, Port Aransas, Texas | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Superorder: | Galloanserae |
| Clade: | Odontoanserae |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Dendrocygninae Reichenbach, 1853 |
| Genus: | Dendrocygna Swainson, 1837 |
The whistling ducks or tree ducks are a subfamily, Dendrocygninae of the duck, goose and swan family of birds, Anatidae. In other taxonomical approaches, they are either considered a separate family "Dendrocygnidae", or a tribe "Dendrocygnini" in the goose subfamily Anserinae (e.g. Terres & NAS, 1991).
It contains only one genus, Dendrocygna, containing eight living species, and one known from hitherto undescribed subfossils from Aitutaki, Cook Islands (Steadman, 2006). These species have a worldwide distribution through the tropics and subtropics. These ducks have, as their name implies, distinctive whistling calls.
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 same plumage, and all have a hunched appearance and black underwings in flight.
Species[]
- West Indian Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna arborea
- Wandering Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna arcuata
- Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis
- Fulvous Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna bicolor
- Plumed Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
- Spotted Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna guttata
- Lesser Whistling Duck, or Indian Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna javanica
- White-faced Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna viduata
- White-backed Duck, Thalassornis leuconotus
Gallery[]
References[]
- Steadman, David William (2006): Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Islands Birds. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-77142-3.
- WHISTLING DUCKS Tribe Dendrocygnini in Waterfowl of North America, Revised Edition (2010) by Paul A. Johnsgard
- Tribe Dendrocygnini (Whistling or Tree Ducks) in Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World, Revised edition (2010) by Paul A. Johnsgard
- Terres, John K. & National Audubon Society (1991): The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, New York. ISBN 0-517-03288-0
External links[]
- Template:Commons-inline
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This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera. |
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This article is part of Project Bird Subfamilies, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird subfamily, including made-up families. |
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This article is part of Project Bird Taxonomy, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every order, family and other taxonomic rank related to birds. |
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