Dendrocygnidae

Last time I spoke about the two smaller families of extant Anseriformes, the screamers of the Anhimidae, and the magpie goose of Anseranatidae. Now it's the turn of the whistling-ducks and white-backed duck; the Dendrocygnidae.



White-faced whistling-ducks
Dendrocygna viduata (Linnaeus, 1766)
Dendrocygnidae; Anseriformes; Aves; Chordata
London Wetland Centre
September 2009

The white-faced whistling-duck is native to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and South America. Quite a disjointed distribution; the Fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) takes it even further by also living in Asia. White-faced whistling-ducks are really neat; highly social and constantly whistling to and preening each other.



West Indian whistling-ducks
Dendrocygna arborea (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dendrocygnidae; Anseriformes; Aves; Chordata
Slimbridge Wetland Centre
September 2009

With a scientific name meaning 'tree-dwelling tree swan', you'd except the bird to live in trees. And it does. Well, it nests in trees. The rest of the time is spent on the ground and in water. It's found throughout the islands of the Caribbean, and also whistles while it works.



Wandering whistling-duck
Dendrocygna arcuata Horsfield, 1824
Dendrocygnidae; Anseriformes; Aves; Chordata
Slimbridge Wetland Centre
September 2009

Not really a wanderer, but what else are you gonna call it? Found in parts of southeast Asia and Australasia.



Black-bellied whistling-ducks
Dendrocygna autumnalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dendrocygnidae; Anseriformes; Aves; Chordata
Slimbridge Wetland Centre
September 2009

This pretty species with bright red bill (and legs) is found in the Americas from southern parts of the States to northern Argentina, but pretty much only in coastal habitats. Pairs are monogamous and stay together for life, or at least a few consecutive years.



African white-backed ducks
Thalassornis leuconotus leuconotus Eyton, 1838
Dendrocygnidae; Anseriformes; Aves; Chordata
Slimbridge Wetland Centre
September 2009

There has to be one aberrant one in the family, and this is it. Those are its feet on its back, by the way. The white-backed duck, also found in Madagascar, has always been hard to place amongst its relatives. It is usually placed in a monotypic subfamily, Thalassorninae, within the Anatidae, perhaps close to the stiff-tailed ducks of the subfamily Oxyurinae. The 'white back' referred to in both its common and scientific names is hardly ever seen, and can probably only be noticed on a dead individual.