tags: Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Black-bellied Tree-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Black-bellied Whistling-duck, also known as the Black-bellied Tree-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis, photographed in Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 18 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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Comments
Adult Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, a bird I've never seen in real life. I'm basing that on the head/neck pattern, the beautiful (and wacky) color of the back, and the little bit you can see of the dark wingtips (or is that the tail?) edged with white.
Posted by: John Callender | December 3, 2009 10:32 AM
Good one John- Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis): grey-brown head with back of the neck and cap a rich chestnut brown; hint of the distinct white eye-ring on the right eye; wing-coverts brown; black tail ...
I'm not sure if I can differentiate the gender here as both males and females are similar, the main differences being average length (M 19.4", F 19") and average weight (M 1.80 lbs., F 1.85 lbs.) however the sexual monochromatism is interesting in that it does reflect that this species is non-migratory, often staying year-round in the southern US, whereas sexually chromatic ducks in the family Anatidae are migratory.
This is the Northern Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis autumnalis, the smaller Southern Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis discolor not found in the US but from Panama to Paraguay.
Posted by: David | December 3, 2009 6:13 PM