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Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor · Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)
(c) Tom Benson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) · CC BY-NC-ND · via iNaturalist

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) is in the Ducks, Geese, and Swans family (Anatidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,783 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Fulvous Whistling-Duck: observations by month (U.S.)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About Fulvous Whistling-Duck

The fulvous whistling duck or fulvous tree duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) is a whistling duck that breeds across the world's tropical regions in much of Mexico and South America, the West Indies, the southern US, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It has mainly reddish brown plumage, long legs and a long grey bill, and shows a distinctive white band across its black tail in flight. Like other members of its ancient lineage, it has a whistling...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck by state

StateObservationsPeak monthMain season
Texas1,658AprilMar–May
Florida742DecemberNov–May
Louisiana206AprilDec–Apr
California80JulyJul–Jul
Arizona30NovemberNov–Dec
Tennessee16MayApr–Jul
New Mexico9AugustAug–Aug
Alabama8AprilApr–Apr
Arkansas6JulyJul–Aug
Georgia5AugustAug–Aug

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)

Photography tips

  • Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
  • Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
  • Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
  • Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Fulvous Whistling-Duck?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to May.
Where is Fulvous Whistling-Duck most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Florida, Louisiana.