# White-faced Whistling Duck (*Dendrocygna viduata*) The White-faced Whistling Duck is a fun bird with a bright white face and a loud whistling call! They love to swim and can often be seen in groups near water. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![White-faced Whistling Duck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dendrocygna_viduata_%28Vincent_Vos%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Vincent Vos Bolivia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dendrocygna_viduata_%28Vincent_Vos%29.jpg) ## Appearance The White-faced Whistling Duck has a striking white face contrasting with a black nape and crown. Its body is mostly chestnut-brown, with finely barred black and white flanks, a grey bill, and grey legs. This distinctive pattern makes it easily recognizable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Dendrocygna ## Interesting facts - Ducklings can leave their nest and swim just one day after hatching! - Sometimes many female ducks will lay their eggs together in the same big nest! - These ducks can tip upside down in water, with only their tail visible, to reach yummy plants! - They are the only duck species found naturally on two continents: Africa and South America! ## Special abilities - **Whistle Communication:** White-faced Whistling Duck can make clear, three-note whistling calls because this helps them communicate with their flock. - **Flock Defender:** White-faced Whistling Duck has a strong instinct to gather in large groups that helps them stay safe from predators. - **Underwater Navigator:** White-faced Whistling Duck can dive efficiently underwater because this helps them reach aquatic plants and invertebrates. - **Continental Commuter:** White-faced Whistling Duck has the ability to migrate across vast distances because this helps them find food and breeding grounds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 38-48 cm - **Wingspan:** 75-90 cm - **Weight:** 0.6-0.9 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 28-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding They munch on plants, seeds, and tiny water creatures both on land and in the water. - **Age differences:** Young ducklings eat more insects for growth before switching to an adult plant-heavy diet. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Aquatic plants, Insect larvae, Small invertebrates - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Nile Crocodile (*Crocodylus niloticus*) — Crocodiles may prey on ducks, especially ducklings. - **Eaten by:** African Fish Eagle (*Haliaeetus vocifer*) — Eagles can hunt adult ducks, especially near water. - **Eats:** Rice Plant (*Oryza sativa*) — Ducks feed on rice grains and young shoots in paddies. - **Shelter:** Broadleaf Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Dense cattail stands provide cover and nesting sites. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch ducks from a distance and don't feed them bread. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-faced Whistling Duck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-faced Whistling Duck? 38-48 cm ### What is White-faced Whistling Duck's wingspan? 75-90 cm ### How much does White-faced Whistling Duck weigh? 0.6-0.9 kg ### How long does White-faced Whistling Duck live? 10-15 years ### How fast can White-faced Whistling Duck move? 65 km/h ### What does White-faced Whistling Duck eat? They munch on plants, seeds, and tiny water creatures both on land and in the water. ### Where is White-faced Whistling Duck usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-faced Whistling Duck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-faced-whistling-duck)