West Indian Whistling Duck

 

The West Indian Whistling Duck can be found on most small lagoons and at the sewage lagoons on Cayo Coco. It is crazy cool to hear them calling in the early hours. They are a distinctive large waterbird between the size of a large duck and a goose.

They are nocturnal and roost during day in mangroves, wooded ponds and marshes and feeds primarily at night. Generally scarce and typically somewhat secretive. eBird

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.

West Indian Whistling Duck

 

The West Indian Whistling Duck is a distinctive large waterbird between the size of a large duck and a goose. It was very cool to hear these ducks whistling when I started my early morning birding rounds.

A nocturnal bird that roosts during day in mangroves, wooded ponds and marshes and feeds primarily at night.

Generally scarce and typically somewhat secretive, particularly where hunting of this species is allowed. Call is loud shrill whistle: “pip-pip-pip-weeeeeaaaa” usually given when agitated or in flight.

West Indian Whistling Duck

The West Indian Whistling Duck is a distinctive large waterbird between the size of a large duck and a goose. Nocturnal; roosts during day in mangroves, wooded ponds and marshes and feeds primarily at night.

    

Generally scarce and typically somewhat secretive, particularly where hunting of this species is allowed. I would hear them early every morning when I started birding and find them foraging in the lagoon near the resort.

West-Indian Whistling Duck

On our first morning in Cayo Coco I was awakened by this crazy whistling sound near our cabin. I had absolutely no idea what wildlife was producing this ultra cool sound, however, after immediately jumping up, I was pleasantly surprised to find West-Indian Whistling Ducks all around in the small lake by our cabin. My first time hearing whistling ducks vocalize. Very cool indeed.