What to Know About the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda?

The Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda is one of the African birds of Uganda seen during Uganda birding safaris & Tours.Also called the fulvous tree duck is a whistling duck in the family-Anatidae, Phylum-Chordata, Class-Aves, order-Anseriformes, and genus-Dendrocygna.

The males have a maximum body mass of 958g while the females have a maximum of 864g, lengths between 45-53cm. the Fulvous Whistling Duck breeds in Uganda.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Look Like?

The fulvous whistling duck has bluish gray long legs and neck, the plumage is cinnamon brown and the flight wings are brown above and dark below.

The bill is blue-gray and a white rear can be seed on this bird. Both the male and female are similar but the male is slightly bigger and has brighter plumage than the female.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Fulvous whistling ducks are usually noisy birds, when frightened, a harsh frequent “kee” can be heard from the fulvous whistling bird, but normally when in flight or on ground, a sounding whistling “kee-wee-ooo” call is given.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Feed?

Feeding is often done in darkness at night, however it can also feed day time. It feeds with other flocks of birds and it feeds on seeds, grasses and weeds and forages for leftover grain in corn fields and rice fields.

It will sometimes scoop up plant materials in shallow water. As females are approaching egg laying, the may also feed on insects, molluscs, aquatic worms and they feed by picking plant items while walking or swimming.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Nest?

The fulvous whistling-duck lives in marshlands, wet meadows, rice fields, flooded agricultural areas and lagoons.

The Fulvous Whistling-Duck is a parasite, nester, laying eggs in the nests of other Fulvous Whistling-Duck, and nests of other duck species.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Breed?

Breeding corresponds with the availability of water and therefore their breeding happens in the rainy season.

They are purely monogamous birds and they display courtship rituals by head-dipping and before copulation and dance after copulation by raising their bodies side by side walking on water.

How Does the Fulvous Whistling Duck in Uganda Reproduce?

The females lay about 12-15 eggs, both adults incubate for 24 to 29 days with the male usually performing a greater task. Fledging takes about 60 days.