Observe and photograph a species in its natural habitat
Learn where and when to observe a species in the wild, how to recognize it in the field, and what habitats it lives in. Get photography tips adapted to its behavior and capture stunning images without disturbing the animal. For full details, open the complete profile in the WildlifePhotographer app.
Black-bellied whistling duck
Scientific name: Dendrocygna autumnalis
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Family: ANATIDAE
Group: Birds
Shyness: Not shy
Safe distance: 10 m
Breeding season / Courtship: 01.05-31.08
Gestation: 25–30 jours
Births: 30 jours
Habitat:
Shallow freshwater ponds, marshes, lakes and wetlands
Description:
The black-bellied whistling duck is a whistling duck in the family Anatidae, 47–56 cm long, with a long neck, pink bill and grey-brown plumage. It inhabits shallow freshwater ponds, marshes and lakes, feeding on seeds, aquatic plants and small invertebrates. Gregarious and cavity-nesting, it breeds colonially in tree hollows or nest boxes.
Recommended lens:
>=300 mm
Photography tips:
Stay hidden at the edge of wetlands or near pond shores, wait for the ducks to take flight and shoot early morning or late afternoon for raking light, using a fast shutter speed to freeze wingbeats and a shallow depth of field to isolate them against the water.
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