Breeding Habitat:Wetland-open water
Nest Type:N/A
Migration Status:N/A
Nest Location:N/A
In the Western Hemisphere, the breeding range of the Fulvous Whistling-Duck extends northward to barely enter the southern United States as three distinct populations. It is most widespread from southern Texas north through southern Louisiana, where the population was fairly stable during the first half of the twentieth century but noticeably declined during the 1960s (Oberholser 1974). In southern California, population declines have been evident since the 1950s and only very small numbers of breeding pairs remain (Garrett and Dunn 1981). Fulvous whistling-ducks have recently spread into Florida, where most of the state was colonized during the 1960s (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). They are currently most numerous in the Lake Okeechobee area, where an estimated 6000 ducks were present during the late 1980s (Turnbull et al. 1989).
The BBS obtains data from all three populations, but the sample sizes in Florida and California are very small. Along BBS routes, Fulvous Whistling-Ducks are most numerous in southern and eastern Texas, and southern Louisiana (Relative Abundance Map). As a result of the very small sample sizes, only the survey-wide trend estimates are provided. These trends are relatively imprecise and should be viewed with some caution, but indicate a non-significant increase during 1966-1994 (Trend List). The increases are most evident in Texas (Trend Map). Since the majority of the BBS data comes from Texas, the Texas trends strongly influence the survey-wide estimates. The survey- wide indices indicate the population increases are most evident after 1980, and the Texas indices are nearly identical (Survey-wide Annual Indices). Within Texas, the trends for the Coastal Prairies (S06) stratum are similar to the statewide trends, while those for the South Texas Brushlands (S07) stratum are stable (Coastal Prairies Annual Indices). (South Texas Brushlands Annual Indices). The Louisiana population has declined, most noticeably during the 1970s (Louisiana Annual Indices).
Garrett, K., and J. Dunn. 1981. Birds of southern California:
status and distribution. Los Angeles Audubon Society, Los
Angeles, CA. 408 pp.
Oberholser, H.C. 1974. The bird life of Texas, Vol. 1. Univ. of
Texas Press, Austin, TX. 530 pp.
Robertson, W.B., Jr., and G.E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird
species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithol. Soc. Spec.
Publ. No. 6. 260 pp.
Turnbull, R.E., F.A. Johnson, and D.A. Brakhage. 1989. Status,
distribution and foods of Fulvous Whistling-Ducks in south
Florida. Jour. Wildl. Manage. 53:1046-1051.