Least Concern Birds

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

White-faced Whistling Duck feeds on plants and invertebrates in African wetlands.

Scientific name	Dendrocygna viduata
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes
Family	Anatidae
Size	Male: approximately 1.0-1.2 kg; Female: approximately 0.9-1.1 kg

See this species in the app

How to identify

Distinct white face and throat; body mostly dark brown with black stripes; neck relatively long and slender; wings display white markings when spread; clear, loud call resembling a whistle

Habitat

Freshwater lakes, swamps, wetlands and valleys near sparsely wooded savannas

Diet

Omnivorous, mainly feeding on seeds of aquatic plants, tender leaves, aquatic grasses, and small aquatic invertebrates

When it is active

Diurnal, primarily active during the day, especially at dawn and dusk

Where it lives

Mainly distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Maasai Mara National Reserve, and parts of South America

How to spot it

Observe in wetlands and along water edges at dawn or dusk, paying attention to its unique whistling call; use binoculars to observe the white facial features

Photography tips

Use soft morning or evening light to photograph, capturing bill movements during calling and flight posture; wetland backgrounds enhance image depth

Threats

Habitat loss and wetland degradation; water pollution; localized hunting pressure

Similar species

Other species of the genus Dendrocygna; distinguished by the white-faced whistling duck's prominent and extensive white facial area, darker body coloration, and distinct striping

📖 how to spot the white faced whistling duck on safari