Tag Archives: Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Family

November 24, 2025 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

When we topped the hill heading towards the dike these ducks looked like a fallen branch or maybe a sunbathing Alligator like we’ve seen before.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Family, Adults with the orange beaks

One of the adults was watchful in the direction they were sort of heading.

I suspect the youngsters cannot yet fly. As we approached they finally moved off the road and down a small bank towards water. One of the adults did a fly-hop part way, but the juveniles didn’t even try.

They jumped into the pond and swam to a hummock where they huddled up for safety. There are several Eagles in the area that I expect this crew has seen up close.

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 23, 2025

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Pair

June 4, 2025 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

This pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks found a cozy spot at Magnolia Cemetery.

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
May 31. 2025

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Looking Around

August 9, 2024 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

One of the few ducks I’ve seen this summer…

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
July 28, 2024

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

March 23, 2024 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

I estimated at least 750 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in a couple of impoundments at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge last week.

The few that were close enough for photos were lined up in grass clumps.

We arrived shortly after sunrise and the ducks were pretty quiet.

A few were in a watchful mode and some appeared to be sleeping.

A wider view of some of the crowd, the dots in the sky are swallows, swooping for bugs.

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, Hardeeville, SC
March 13, 2024

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are Back

April 20, 2023 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

I had been wondering if we would see Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in South Carolina this year; they only starting migrating here from Florida in the last few years.

Last year it was May and June when I got pictures of them last year, although not at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.

On Saturday, in the fog, there they were! Five of them just standing around in a tree in one of Magnolia’s recently cleared swamp areas.

This morning not far from the above picture these two were soaking up the sun on an Alligator Ramp.

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on Alligator Ramp

A mother Wood Duck and her brood paddled on by.

Whistling Ducks are cavity nesters like the Wood Ducks, and may use some of the man-made nest boxes or the tree cavities recently used by the Wood Ducks.

I continued on my path and got a little closer view before these two flew off.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 15, 2023 & April 20, 2023

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, More Sedate

February 3, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

Just a short distance from the Black-bellied Whistling Duck Kerfuffle that I posted last week a few small groups were calmly hanging out.

This floating mat of vegetation was solid enough to hold up the ducks but there was water around their feet.

This fellow was doing his own thing, sort of hiding in some taller grass.

In this group, one duck was on high alert, one was sort of alert and the rest were snoozing.

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023

Orlando Wetlands Park is 1650 acres of man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water from the City of Orlando and other local cities.

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Flying By

January 28, 2023 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

In flight the Black-bellied Whistling Duck shows off a snazzy wing pattern.

This one opted to leave the pack and head off on his own for a bit…

showing off that bright bill, which will look more pink in breeding season.

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023

Orlando Wetlands Park is 1650 acres of man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water from the City of Orlando and other local cities.

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Kerfuffle

January 26, 2023 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

Several groups of 10-20 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were scattered around the first pond at Orlando Wetlands. Most of them were resting or quietly feeding. Then there was this group.

They were creating quite a flap, one or two flying straight up a few feet then wham, dropping into the middle of the group.

It seems too early in the year to be a breeding/territory thing. And there appeared to be plenty of food to go around.

A couple of Coots were unperturbed by the action.

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023

Duck

Black-bellied Whistling On Duck Box

June 23, 2022 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022

Duck

Trio of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

May 22, 2022 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

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