White-Faced Whistling Duck
They have a long grey bill, a long head, and longish legs. It has a black neck and head, and distinctive white face that gives them their name, though the amount of white colour visible has regional variations among the species. E.g, the white-faced whistling ducks with more black colouration are commonly found in western Africa where rainfall superseeds the dry season. The back and wings are dark brown to black, and the underparts are black with fine white barring on the flanks. The neck is chestnut. Males and females have similar plumage. Juveniles are similar in colour to adults but have a much less contrasting head pattern.
Habitat
The white-faced whistling duck has a peculiar disjunctive distribution, occurring in Africa and South America. It has been suggested that they may have been transported to new locations worldwide by humans. The habitat is still freshwater lakes or reservoirs, with plentiful vegetation, where this duck feeds on seeds and other plant food.
The white-faced whistling duck has escaped or been deliberately released into Florida, USA, but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes.
Diet
Its diet consists of grasses (e.g. Echinochloa spp.), aquatic seeds e.g. of water-lilies Nymphaea and Nymphoides spp., rice, pondweeds (e.g. Potamogeton spp.) and tubers (especially in the dry season), as well as aquatic invertebrates such as molluscs, crustaceans and insects, the consumption of which is highest during the rains.
Breeding
The nest is a depression or low construction of vegetation placed over or at varying distances from water, usually in stands of dense vegetation (e.g. long grass, sedge or rice) on dry ground or in reedbeds, occasionally also in open crevices in trees (South America). The species may nest in solitary pairs with nests placed more than 75 m apart (Africa), although it may also nest in loose colonies or small groups and lays 8-12 eggs. Trees are occasionally used for nesting.
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Least Concern(LC). The population is estimated to number 1,700,000-2,800,000 individuals. The overall population trend is increasing, although some populations are decreasing.
Threats
The species is susceptible to avian botulism and avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases. Utilisation The species is hunted for local consumption and trade in Malawi and is hunted in Botswana. It is also hunted and traded at traditional medicine markets in Nigeria.
Conservation
The white-faced whistling duck is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.