Malaysian Birds - Lesser Whistling Duck

Whistling Ducks belongs to the bird's family of Dendrocygnidae - The Lesser Whistling Duck has typical duck profile with long neck and short bodies, with rounded wings. They feed on aquatic vegetations, fishes and amphibians etc.

Worldwide there are 9 species of these birds and 3 of them are found in South-east Asia. We have one in Malaysia, the Lesser Whistling Duck. This Duck is normally found in India, across south-east Asia, reaching east to Japan and south to the Sundas

There are 3 Ducks all together with the Lesser Whistling Duck and they look nearly identical. The Wandering Whistling duck which is marginally larger at 45cm as compared to 40 cm - told apart by the lack of golden eye-ring plus a blackish line down from the forehead down to the nape and hindneck. Then, the obviously large Fulvous Whistling Duck at 55cm. It has a patch of prominent streaks on the neck and white flank streaks as well.

This Lesser Whistling Duck has other names among which Tree-Duck before its name finally settled on Whistling-Duck, so-called due to its habit of perching on tree branches.

This Duck is a nocturnal feeder and in the daytime, they gather in flocks around ponds or wetlands. The duck sometimes build its eggs in the hollow of trees or on nest located at the fork of large branches. they could lay up to 17 eggs but normally the brood size is between 9-12 ducklings.

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 1

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 2

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 3

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 4

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 5

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 6

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 7

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 8

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 9

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 10

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 11

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 12

Lesser Whistling Duck's picture No. 13

The largest gathering I had encountered was in Kampong Coldstream area in Bidor where more than 50 birds gathered. They are very skittish birds preferring to keep their distances with human.