We had been alerted to the presence of these Black-bellied Whistling Ducks by another visitor to the Wildlife Management Area. Sure enough, they were still hanging out in the same spot.
I walked by them on the dike and they were unfazed.
Their feet are quite adaptable to stand on a variety of uneven surfaces.
These wooden boxes are installed to support breeding Wood Ducks, but the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks have been taking them over the last few years.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022
Those are some gorgeous ducks, wow.
Aren’t they—and cool to see them out of the water, just standing around.
They seem to have a sleeker shape than the ducks we see. Love those pink bills and feet 😊
Yes, their feathers have that flat look to them, not all fluffed up like some! You can’t beat their fashion sense!
A very nice colored duck that we don’t know here. It’s a shame… to steal other people’s nesting opportunities 🙂
We are at the extreme north of their range, the maps show them mostly in Central and South America. Over the last few years we are seeing more and more of them, and in more places.