West Indian Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna arborea

Chiriría,
Pato Silbador Caribe±o

Audio (R. Rodrφguez Mojica)

 
Photo: B. Hallett

 

IDENTIFICATION: A nocturnal duck with speckled brown upper parts, and black and white markings on the sides. In flight, it appears all brown above, and its legs extend beyond its tail. Length: 48-58 cm.; weight: 1,150 g.

VOICE: The call is a multi-syllable whistle that sounds like its Spanish name, "Chiriría." Audio (R. Rodrφguez Mojica).

HABITAT: Fresh and saltwater wetlands, including lagoons, rice fields, and palm savannas, especially near mangroves, Pterocarpus, or other swamp-adapted trees.

HABITS: Feeds at night on fruits, berries, seeds, grass, rice, and corn, and is particularly fond of the fruit of the royal palm (Roystonea sp.). It feeds both in trees and on the ground, but less often in open water. It roosts during the day in dense grass or trees such as Pterocarpus, where it can be hard to detect with its brown plumage. It nests in tree holes, bromeliads, Panicum grass, in tree stumps, or in clumps of palm leaves, usually near water. The nest contains 6-12 eggs, and the incubation period is about 30 days.

STATUS AND CONSERVATION: This species is endangered throughout its range. It was once common in Puerto Rico, with flocks of 100 birds reported. Its population in Puerto Rico is maybe only 250, but exact population levels are difficult to establish because many wetland areas where it formerly lived are difficult to survey. Hunting for sport, or to control its feeding in grain fields contributed to the dangerous population decline, but hunting this species is now illegal throughout its range. Drainage and filling of wetlands for agriculture, sanitary landfills, housing, roads, and industry are serious threats, as is excessive use of agricultural pesticides. Commonwealth and federal agencies are expanding wetland sanctuaries at Laguna Cartagena and elsewhere to protect its wetland habitat. Throughout its range this species is considered vulnerable to extinction

RANGE: Endemic to the Caribbean in the Greater Antilles, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Virgin Islands, St. Kitts-Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda. In Puerto Rico it has been regularly reported from wetlands at the Humacao Nature Reserve, Torrecilla Alta, Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station, and Laguna Kiani on Vieques. However, because it roosts during the day and feeds at night, it is often difficult to find. Other Puerto Rican wetlands where it has been reported in the late 20th Century include Sabana Seca, Laguna Cartagena, Aguada, Boquer≤n, Laguna de Gußnica, Tortugero Lagoon, Cabo Caribe Swamp, Cibuco Swamp, Anegado Lagoon, Mona Island, and Ca±o Tiburones.

TAXONOMY: ANSERIFORMES; ANATIDAE; Dendrocygninae

 
   
 
Photo: C. Ruiz*
 

 

 
Photo: B. Hallett
 

 

 
Photo: G. Beaton
 

 

Photo: R. Rodrφguez-Mojica

 

Photo: R. Rodrφguez-Mojica

 

Photo: R. Rodrφguez-Mojica

 

Photo: R. Rodrφguez-Mojica

References

BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened birds of the world. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona and Cambridge, UK.

Bradley, P. and Y. Rey-Millet. 1985. Birds of the Cayman Islands. P.E. Bradley, George Town, Grand Cayman.

Bradley, P.E., Sorenson, L.G., and Stevenson, J. eds. 2001. Wondrous West Indian wetlands: teacher's resource book. West Indian Whistling-Duck Working Group of the Society of Caribbean Ornithology. Archmain Communications Ltd. U.K.

Collar, N.J., L.P. Gonzaga, N. Krabbe, A. Madronno Nieto, L.G. Naranjo, T.A. Parker III, and D.C Wege. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas: The ICBP/IUCN red data book, 3rd edition, part 2. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. p 69-79.

del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. 1992. Handbook of Birds of the World, Vol. 1. Ostrich to ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Madge, S. and H. Burn. 1988. Wildfowl: an identification guide to the ducks, geese, and swans of the world. C. Helm, London.

Ortiz Rosas, P. 1981. Guía de cazador: aves de caza y especies protegidas. Depto. de Recursos Naturales, San Juan, PR.

Raffaele, H.A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton.

Raffaele, H.A. 1989. Una guía a las aves de Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Publishing Resources, Inc., Santurce, PR.

Raffaele, H.A., J.W. Wiley, O.H. Garrido, A.R. Keith, and J.I. Raffaele. 1998. Guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton.

Saliva, J.E. 1994. Vieques y su fauna: Vieques wildlife manual. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Boquerón, PR.

Sorenson, L. G. and P. Bradley. 2000. Working group report - update on the "West Indian Whistling-Duck (WIWD) and wetlands conservation project" - report from the WIWD working group. El Pitirre 13(2):57-63.

For more information: http://www.irf.org/bdendro.htm

West Indian Whistling-Duck, Spanish text

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