West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea)
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West Indian Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna arborea (Linnaeus, 1758)

48–58 cmLength1.1 kgWeight

The West Indian whistling duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is a whistling duck that breeds in the Caribbean.

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

West Indian Whistling Duck has been recorded at 92 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Jardín Botánico NacionalDominican Republic843 records
  2. Patricks Island Roost and DykesCayman Islands731 records
  3. Laguna Cartagena - West EndPuerto Rico693 records
More places
  1. Reserva Natural Laguna CartagenaPuerto Rico442 records
  2. Laguna Cartagena – TowerPuerto Rico411 records
  3. Otto Watler's LakeCayman Islands302 records
  4. Font Hill Nature PreserveJamaica240 records
  5. Cayo CocoCuba233 records
  6. Laguna flamingosCuba223 records
  7. Central Mangrove DykesCayman Islands167 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Puerto RicoCayman IslandsDominican RepublicCubaJamaicaAntigua & BarbudaHaitiBahamas

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The West Indian whistling duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is a whistling duck that breeds in the Caribbean. Alternative names are black-billed whistling duck and Cuban whistling duck.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the West Indian Whistling Duck?

The West Indian Whistling Duck is about 48–58 cm long and weighs around 1.1 kg.

Where does the West Indian Whistling Duck live?

Its breeding range: North America: West Indies. It is most often recorded in Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands and Dominican Republic.

When is the best time to see the West Indian Whistling Duck?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the West Indian Whistling Duck endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the West Indian Whistling Duck as Near Threatened.

What does the West Indian Whistling Duck eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the West Indian Whistling Duck in?

It belongs to the family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae), order Anseriformes.

At a glance

Length
48–58 cm
Weight
1.1 kg
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
256 mm
Tail
73 mm
Bill
53 mm
Tarsus
66 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: West Indies

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Ducks, Geese, Swans Anatidae
Genus
Dendrocygna

Other birds in the genus Dendrocygna

White-faced Whistling DuckWhite-faced Whistling DuckDendrocygna viduataBlack-bellied Whistling DuckBlack-bellied Whistling DuckDendrocygna autumnalisSpotted Whistling DuckSpotted Whistling DuckDendrocygna guttataFulvous Whistling DuckFulvous Whistling DuckDendrocygna bicolorPlumed Whistling DuckPlumed Whistling DuckDendrocygna eytoniWandering Whistling DuckWandering Whistling DuckDendrocygna arcuataLesser Whistling DuckLesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanicaWhite-backed DuckWhite-backed DuckThalassornis leuconotusCape Barren GooseCape Barren GooseCereopsis novaehollandiaeBrant GooseBrant GooseBranta bernicla
West Indian Whistling Duck

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by David Chernack. ↗

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