A black-bellied whistling duck with a pink bill flying. — Photo: Alan D. Wilson; edited by olegivvit, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

A long-legged, pink-billed duck that whistles like a squeaky toy and often nests in tree holes.

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About the Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Black-bellied whistling ducks are about 19 inches long and weigh about 1.8 pounds. They have gray heads, chestnut backs, black bellies and bright pink bills and legs. They live near shallow fresh water and in farm fields from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America to northern South America. They eat plants, seeds, grain, insects and other small animals, feeding mostly at night.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Dendrocygna autumnalis^[1]
Size: About 19 inches long.^[1]
Weight: About 1.8 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known wild bird lived more than 8 years.^[1]
Diet: Plants, seeds, grains, insects and other invertebrates.^[1]
Habitat: Marshes, swamps, lakes and ponds, plus farm fields and pastures.^[1]
Where it lives: The southern United States, Mexico, Central America and northern South America.^[1]
Group life: Noisy flocks of hundreds.^[1]
Babies: 9 to 18 eggs, incubated by both parents for 25 to 30 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Its whistle sounds a bit like a squeaky toy.^[1]
Several females sometimes share a nest with up to 60 eggs.^[1]
Both the mother and father take turns sitting on the eggs.^[1]

Vocabulary

incubate: To keep eggs warm so they can hatch.
clutch: A group of eggs laid at one time.
flock: A group of birds that travel or feed together.
monogamous: Having only one mate.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Black-bellied whistling duck.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-bellied-whistling-duck (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Dendrocygna autumnalis (Black-bellied Whistling-duck).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22679780/138940651 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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