This little fellow is a Black-bellied Whistling duck. They breed in southern parts of the US and central to south central South America. They can be found year round in parts of southeast Texas and seasonally in SE Arizona and Louisiana's Gulf Coast. It is occasionally seen in parts of other southern states.Unlike most ducks the Black-bellied Whistling ducks form monogamous bonds with their mate. Pairs often stay together for years. This trait is usually seen with geese and swans. Both parents share the duties of incubation and raising the young.
These ducks do not breed in SE Washington where I live but there is a mating pair at our local aviary which is where these photos were taken. A fellow blogger from Texas gets to see these little ducks often and she features them on her blog. Go over to The Run*A*Round Ranch Report and take a look at her ducks HERE.
For more photos please visit Freda's Tuesday Takes, Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday.
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47 comments:
Oh goodness these ducks are so damn cute!!!
Which animal matches your personality?
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Very cute ;) We get mostly mallards around here.
Wonderful shots of the BB Whistling ducks. I just love them, they are so cute.
I like all of these photos! The second one and the last one are so cute. The first one has the reflection of such a beautiful sky.
Don't you love it when you hear about certain animals mating for life? Nature ~ it's such a wonderful thing!
xo Catherine
Beautiful shots and great info on our beautiful feathered friends.
Very attractive ducks and it's so nice to 'meet' a monogamous duck:-)
when i first pulled up their photo, i went WOW! she's got them up that far!!!??? :) i adore them so, and am happy you get to see them in person.
Thanks for the information. I didn't know that there are monogamous ducks too. They are very interesting and I'll have to go over to that link to look at them a bit more. Thanks, Judy! :-)
Cute. I've never seen any here in MS. I don't believe they are common to our area.
Lovely duck, but that first shot is stunning!
Oh and thanks for participating!
my first thought was how did they get from Texas ranch to YOU way up there. i had never seen them until the Ranch Report. i found their sound on the www and they do whistle.
I love ducks of all kinds!
What a darlin' duck! And it whistles? Perfect! Wouldn't I just love to have a pair of those as pets? Well, maybe not, they'd have to come indoors for the winter.
Love your first photo, with the ripples.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
That's an unusual looking duck, for sure. I have never heard of this kind. Do they really whistle? Maybe you can come back with your video camera and make him whistle!! Just a thought, ha ha!!
Great shots!
I love your first photo!
A new animal for me. Ir's surprising how many different kinds of duck there are.
first time to be seeing these ducks. they are cute.
I have to admit this is the first time I've ever heard of a black-bellied whistling duck!
He's a cute little fella! At first I misread his name to be a black BILLED whistling duck and I thought, "Well, gee his bill isn't black. I wonder if he can't whistle, either!" Then I read his name over again and saw black BELLIED whistler. Ahh. Makes sense. But can he whistle? THAT is the question!
I like to be sitting at the beach where your header is.
NZ is not the best to be now esp in Christchurch, volcanic ash, earthquake and winter.
No wonder there is no squirrels here.
Beautiful reflections in the first shot. Love the duck!!!!
Nice shots. Great reflection in that first one.
They're all great, and I really like that second one, with the duck drinking water.
Beautiful duck. I have never seen a Whistling Duck until now. Great shots.
Beautiful outdoor shots!!! Happy Wednesday!
what a sweet sweet photo...that duck sitting by himself makes me sad :(
What a pretty duck.
Is that a reflection of the ducks in your first and gorgeous shot? I enlarged it and turned my laptop on its side, and I really think I see the bill. This shot is drop dead gorgeous....and the others are lovely. A great post this week. genie
The ripples in the water were well captured. Excellent photography!
I love that first shot - the light and reflection of the clouds in the water is just lovely.
Amazing that you were able to get so close to the duck without spooking it!
MIST ON THE OCEAN
Mist on the ocean,
Mist on the sea,
Mist on the meadow,
Mist on the tree;
Dew on the grasses,
Dew on the rose,
Dew in the garden,
Dew on my clothes;
All of this wetness,
It’s plain to see,
Promises blessings
For you and me!
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Boatman in Hawaii
Lovely photos... what a cute little duck...
The header photo is awesome. I like the sepia look.
Lovely photos. The second one is priceless :)
Christy
Absolutely a gorgeous duck...does it really whistle?
Hugs Madi and Mom
Wow, he's a cutie! I'd never heard of a whistling duck before. Thanks for the interesting info.
Thanks for the visit. Yes, life/reality does get in the way of relaxation, but your Whistling Duck photos give me a sense of peace - at least for the time that I'm enjoying them!
Barb
the first photo looks like a painting...so beautiful!
They are so beautifully colored, I didn't see them by us.
You captured a beautiful sky reflection in the first shot.
I've spotted some around here, but have not see one up close. Love your vibrant colors, Judy! Love the new header -sooo summery! makes me want to hit the beach! :)
Beautiful shots!
Late Visiting for WW, here's my Watery Wednesday. Drop by when you can, thanks!
Your reflection photo is stunning.
These pics are so beautiful and tranquil.
Very beautiful water reflections. I love it! LG Tina
Oh so very cute! Love how the duck is bending over the curbing to get a drink! He looks so content sitting in the grass, too.
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