The West Indian whistling duck is a whistling duck that breeds in the Caribbean. Alternative names are black-billed whistling duck and Cuban whistling duck.
Region
Caribbean (West Indies)
Typical Environment
Occurs locally in the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Hispaniola, and parts of the Lesser Antilles. It favors freshwater and brackish wetlands, including mangrove lagoons, swamps, marshes, and shallow ponds. Birds often roost by day in dense mangroves or reedbeds and feed in open shallows at night. It also uses rice fields and flooded pastures where available. Breeding typically takes place in secluded wetland thickets or mangrove islets.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 3/5
Despite being a duck, it often nests in tree cavities and readily perches in mangroves. Its clear, far-carrying whistles are most frequent at dusk and night and give the species its name. Habitat loss and hunting have reduced numbers across several islands, making local protections and wetland conservation crucial. It is also known as the black-billed or Cuban whistling duck.
Temperament
wary and mostly crepuscular
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes forming larger loose flocks outside the breeding season. Nests in tree cavities, mangrove tangles, or dense vegetation near water; occasionally uses nest boxes. Pairs are monogamous, and both parents tend the brood.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, high-pitched whistling series, often multi-syllabic and far-carrying. Calls are most frequent at dusk, night, and in flight, sometimes given in rapid sequences during social interactions.
Plumage
Overall dark brown to dusky with fine mottling and pale buff spotting; flanks show pale barring. Face and neck are paler with fine streaking, contrasting with the darker crown and back. Underparts are mottled, giving a scaly appearance.
Diet
Feeds on seeds of grasses and sedges, aquatic plants, grains, and fallen fruits. Supplements with aquatic invertebrates such as snails, insects, and small crustaceans. Forages by dabbling at the surface, upending in shallow water, and grazing along wet margins. Will also visit agricultural fields, especially rice, when available.
Preferred Environment
Shallow freshwater or brackish marshes, lagoons, and mangrove edges with abundant emergent vegetation. Frequently uses quiet backwaters and flooded pastures with nearby cover to retreat during the day.
