Wild Birds and Avian Influenza in Africa
The Fulvous Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna bicolor
Other names : Fulvous Tree-Duck
French name : Dendrocygne fauve
Identification
Size : 45-53 cm. Males slightly larger than females.
Folded wing : 203-225 mm
Mean weight : 680g.
Adult : Sexes similar. Has crown and upper nape rich rufous-brown, becoming blackish down centre of hindneck. Sides of head, neck and almost entire underparts rich rufous-buff. Undertail-coverts and ventral region creamy white. Entire upperparts dark brown with rufous feather fringes. Underwing and tail blackish.
Juvenile : Similar to adult but paler below.
Habitat
Lowland freshwaters, upland lakes and marshes, ricefields. Favours areas with extensive fringe and emergent vegetation.
Breeding
In southern Africa the wet season is preferred whereas north of the Zambezi the drier months are preferred. Nests are well concealed in lush grass near water. 6-13 eggs are incubated mostly by male during 24-26 days.
Status
Wide distribution south of the Sahara from Senegal to Ethiopia and southwards down the entire eastern half of the continent to South Africa and Madagascar. Local resident, with some quite extensive seasonal movements.
References
- Brown, L., E. Urban, and K. Newman, The Birds of Africa, Vol. 1. 1982, New York: Academic Press Inc. Ltd. 526
- Madge, S. and H. Burn, Wildfowl, 1988, Bromley: Christopher Helm Ltd, Imperial House. 306
Cirad Avian Influenza
Satellite tracking maps
VIEWING WITH GOOGLE EARTH
Updated :
December 14th, 2009
Click on the globe
to download
Google Earth kmz file.
Note : You need to have Google Earth installed on your computer
2007 © CIRAD : Home Page • Satellite tracking • Surveillance program • Monitoring Program • Information • Site map