Black-bellied whistling-duck Dendrocygna autumnalis

Identification Tips:

• Length: 13 inches Wingspan: 37 inches
• Large, long-legged, long-necked duck
• Sexes similar

Adult:

• Bright orange bill
• Pink legs
• Gray face and upper neck with white eye ring
• Chestnut cap, nape, lower neck, chest and back
• Black belly
• White secondary coverts and white bases to the black primaries and secondaries creates a long wing stripe in flight and a visible pale patch at rest
• Leading edge of wing chestnut like body

Immature:

• Dark gray bill
• Dark gray legs
• Paler brown body plumage
• Gray belly

Similar species:

Immature Fulvous Whistling-Duck could be confused with an immature Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, but has a white flank stripe, dark wings without a wing stripe and a pale rump patch.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.