Copyright © Jan Harteman
Dendrocygna bicolor
Dutch: Gele boomeend / Gele fluiteend
German: Gelbe pfeifgans
French: Dendrocygne fauve / D. bicolor
Text partly by Dan Cowell
GBWF.org
The Fulvous Whistling Duck, also known as the Tree Duck, is the most commonly seen member of its genus in captivity. They are found on four continents: North and South America, Africa and Asia, yet there are no known subspecies. They often form very large groups, sometimes with other whistling duck species where ranges overlap. The sexes are similar, with males being somewhat larger and having a different call than the hens. Vent sexing is the best method to distingush the two.
As you can see from the picture, this species has a rather upright stance. They are an overall brown color, with black barring on the wings and shoulders; the neck has fine streaks of black, buff and white. Long white feathers on the flanks give the appearance of stripes. Their long, narrow bills are dark gray. The legs and huge feet are bluish gray.
Fulvous hens nest on the ground among thick reeds and vegetation, but will also use cavities like the Wood Duck and will use the same style of box. They lay 8 to 15 eggs per clutch and take about 24 to 26 days to hatch. Both parents will care for the ducklings that fledge in about 60 days.
I have found that here in Missouri, we have to provide heat during the Winter months for this species. They are not as hardy as other ducks, and their large feet are very susceptible to frostbite. Be sure to provide plenty of dry straw in the shelter.
Fulvous are well mannered ducks and get along well with other species, making them an excellent choice for a mixed collection. Their unusal whistling call has woke me up a time or two to go out and find a cat near the aviary, making them, in my opinion, good watch ducks! Aviaries do not need to be very large, just provide plenty of perches for the flying birds to roost, they love it.
There is one mutation, the White Fulvous. I'm working on finding the origin of this mutation and more will added very soon. As you can see from the photo to the left, the bird has the same features and black on the back as the normal form, but the light tan of the rest of the body has been replaced with light gray. The bill, legs and feet are as in the normal Fulvous.
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 kmē. It has a large global population estimated to be 1,300,000-1,500,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
© Jan Harteman / Harteman Wildfowl / www.harteman.nl
