What to Know About White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda?

The White-Faced Whistling Duck in Uganda is one of the African birds of Uganda Bird Species seen during Birding Safaris. The white-faced whistling duck is a whistling duck in the Family-Anatidae, kingdom Kingdom-Animalia, Phylum-Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Anseriformes, and Genus-Dendrocygna.

The name denotes that they are raucous birds with a clear three-note whistling call. Their length ranges from 15 to 19 inches and weigh between 1 to 1 ½ pounds. Males are in most cases smaller than females.

How Does The White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda Look Like?

The name white-faced whistling duck is derived from the bird’s white face and its distinctive three-note whistle.

It has a dark bill and white throat, the upper part of the neck and head are black. Legs and feet are grey.

The lower neck, chest and back are reddish brown, while the sides are striped black and white. The young are dark brown above, creamy yellow below with creamy spots on the back.

They are relatively long-legged and long-necked ducks.

How Does the White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Most usual is a sibilant trisyllabic whistle “swee-swee-sweeoo”, lasting 1·5–2 seconds.

How Does the White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda Feed?

They are mainly dark feeders, and the pillar of their diet is foliage such as grass, seeds and rice, as well as aquatic invertebrates. They are predominantly fond of water lily seeds and fruits. White-faced whistling ducks obtain their food by dabbling and diving.

How Does the White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda Nest?

It builds a stick platform on the tree branches near the ground. Trees are occasionally used for nesting. But it can also nest down on the ground.

How Does the White-faced Whistling Duck in Uganda Breed?

They usually have mutual preening as a courtship display practice. White-faced whistling ducks breed at the start of the rainy season.

How Does the White-faced Whistling duck in Uganda Reproduce?

Females lay between 8-12eggs, Gestation period among this species takes between 26-28 days and it is done by both parents. After hatching, the chicks are hidden under lilies and reeds.