The West Indian whistling duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is a whistling duck that breeds in the Caribbean. Alternative names are black-billed whistling duck and Cuban whistling duck.
The West Indian whistling duck is the largest and darkest of the whistling ducks with a length of 48 to 58 cm (19 to 23 in). The female weighs from 800 to 1,320 g (1.76 to 2.91 lb) and the male weighs from 760 to 1,240 g (1.68 to 2.73 lb); this species is about the size of a mallard.[3] It has a long black bill, long head and longish legs. It has a pale foreneck and light brown face. The crown, back, breast and wings are dark brown to black, and the rest of the underparts are white with heavy black markings.
All plumages are similar, except that juveniles are duller and have a less contrasted belly pattern.
Breedingedit
Nests have been reported in tree cavities, on branches, in clumps of bromeliads, and on the ground under thatch palms and other dense bushes. The usual clutch size is 10-16 eggs. It habitually perches in trees, which gives rise to its specific name.
Diet and behavioredit
The birds are mostly nocturnal and secretive, inhabiting wooded swamps and mangroves, where this duck roosts and feeds on plant food including the fruit of the royal palm.
Threatsedit
The West Indian whistling duck has suffered extensive hunting for its eggs and for sport. Wetlands are a very limited habitat in the Caribbean, with continuing conversion for development and agriculture. More than 50% of remaining wetlands are seriously degraded by the cutting of mangroves and swamp-forest, pollution (especially over-use of pesticides1) and natural catastrophes such as droughts and hurricanes. Predation is inadequately documented but may be a factor.
Current conservation measuresedit
D. arborea is ranked under CITES Appendix II, as well as CMS Appendix II. It is legally protected throughout much of its range, but law enforcement is inadequate. The West Indian Whistling Duck Working Group initiated a conservation programme in 1997. There are several protected areas in the region but, in general, suitable habitat, especially wetlands, is under-represented. Ducks are predated on Antigua and Barbuda by the small Indian mongooses introduced to control the cane rats which was largely unsuccessful as the rats live in trees.
Proposed conservation measuresedit
Conduct extensive surveys to assess numbers and distribution; assist local authorities in establishing a long-term monitoring programme; conserve key sites; enforce legal protection; initiate public education and awareness programmes.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2019). "Dendrocygna arborea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22679770A154611660. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22679770A154611660.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Carboneras, C. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). West Indian Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arborea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
west, indian, whistling, duck, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, november, 2010, learn, when, remove, this, temp. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message The West Indian whistling duck Dendrocygna arborea is a whistling duck that breeds in the Caribbean Alternative names are black billed whistling duck and Cuban whistling duck West Indian whistling duckConservation statusNear Threatened IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder AnseriformesFamily AnatidaeGenus DendrocygnaSpecies D arboreaBinomial nameDendrocygna arborea Linnaeus 1758 SynonymsAnas arborea Linnaeus 1758 Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Breeding 4 Diet and behavior 5 Threats 6 Current conservation measures 7 Proposed conservation measures 8 References 9 External linksDistribution editThe West Indian whistling duck is widely scattered throughout the West Indies including a large breeding population in the Bahamas and smaller numbers in Cuba the Cayman Islands Antigua and Barbuda Jamaica Hispaniola both the Dominican Republic and Haiti and Puerto Rico It is largely sedentary apart from local movements which can be 100 km or more Description editThe West Indian whistling duck is the largest and darkest of the whistling ducks with a length of 48 to 58 cm 19 to 23 in The female weighs from 800 to 1 320 g 1 76 to 2 91 lb and the male weighs from 760 to 1 240 g 1 68 to 2 73 lb this species is about the size of a mallard 3 It has a long black bill long head and longish legs It has a pale foreneck and light brown face The crown back breast and wings are dark brown to black and the rest of the underparts are white with heavy black markings All plumages are similar except that juveniles are duller and have a less contrasted belly pattern Breeding editNests have been reported in tree cavities on branches in clumps of bromeliads and on the ground under thatch palms and other dense bushes The usual clutch size is 10 16 eggs It habitually perches in trees which gives rise to its specific name Diet and behavior editThe birds are mostly nocturnal and secretive inhabiting wooded swamps and mangroves where this duck roosts and feeds on plant food including the fruit of the royal palm Threats editThe West Indian whistling duck has suffered extensive hunting for its eggs and for sport Wetlands are a very limited habitat in the Caribbean with continuing conversion for development and agriculture More than 50 of remaining wetlands are seriously degraded by the cutting of mangroves and swamp forest pollution especially over use of pesticides1 and natural catastrophes such as droughts and hurricanes Predation is inadequately documented but may be a factor Current conservation measures editD arborea is ranked under CITES Appendix II as well as CMS Appendix II It is legally protected throughout much of its range but law enforcement is inadequate The West Indian Whistling Duck Working Group initiated a conservation programme in 1997 There are several protected areas in the region but in general suitable habitat especially wetlands is under represented Ducks are predated on Antigua and Barbuda by the small Indian mongooses introduced to control the cane rats which was largely unsuccessful as the rats live in trees Proposed conservation measures editConduct extensive surveys to assess numbers and distribution assist local authorities in establishing a long term monitoring programme conserve key sites enforce legal protection initiate public education and awareness programmes References edit BirdLife International 2019 Dendrocygna arborea IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019 e T22679770A154611660 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2019 3 RLTS T22679770A154611660 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Carboneras C and G M Kirwan 2020 West Indian Whistling Duck Dendrocygna arborea version 1 0 In Birds of the World J del Hoyo A Elliott J Sargatal D A Christie and E de Juana Editors Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY USA Wildfowl by Madge and Burn ISBN 0 7470 2201 1 Staus N L 1998 Behavior and natural history of the West Indian Whistling Duck on Long Island Bahamas Wildfowl 49 194 206 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dendrocygna arborea nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Dendrocygna arborea BirdLife Species Factsheet birdlife org ARKive images and movies of the West Indian whistling duck Dendrocygna arborea Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title West Indian whistling duck amp oldid 1150360656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
