Fulvous Whilsting-Duck

Black-bellied hybrid

*Very variable

  • Partial or thin white eye-ring

  • Bill is partly Blue/black and Pink, typically pink at the base

  • Underside typically chestnut whether as black

  • The face is a perfect tan color, almost like a West Indian Whistling Duck.

Sound

  • High-pitched two-part whistle, kit-tee or pee-chee

  • Short high-pitched squeals

  • Hostile kee repeated >4 times rapidly

  • Chatter cup-cup-cup-cup

Adults are fairly easy to distinguish from other ducks. Birds are most similar to Black-bellied juveniles. Told apart by overall more rufous coloration and buffy belly with white undertail coverts.

Different Xeno Canto links

kit-tee/pee-chee: https://xeno-canto.org/649366

Squeals(maybe) https://xeno-canto.org/257268

cup-cup-cup-cup https://xeno-canto.org/48071

Sight

  • Long-necked duck

  • Appears taller than Black-bellied when they stand up

  • Overall buffy cinnamon coloration

  • Undertail coverts white

  • Blackish brown back, tail and wings

  • Buff flanks

  • Tawny cinnamon upperparts get more “rich” on the head

  • Chin pale white

  • Black bill and legs

  • Wings more round and broader than other ducks

  • Slow wing beat

  • Legs behind tail in flight

  • Immature smaller by a bit

  • Immature sometimes have more white or chestnut on flanks or back

  • Juvenile young is similar to Black-bellied but with a less yellow coloration

  • Juvenile young have distinct black facial markings

Note cinnamon wing patch, white chin, undertail coverts and overall cinnamon buffy colored body.

See Bill and upperpart coloration with a white chin.

Juvenile birds, some more extensive chestnut and white on flanks

Note duller yellow young, distance black markings.

Gallery

Note most ID facters, black back, white chin, buffy flanks, chestnut head.