The Fulvous and Black-Bellied Tree Ducks

Fulvous Tree Duck

Now here is a duck for you.

He is very goose-like in appearance and perhaps a little larger than a mallard, with quite a long neck.  He is generally brown in color (the Black bellied has a black belly).

Black Bellied Tree Duck

They both have a bit of white on the wings, and the Fulvous has white outer tail feathers. They love to roost in trees, and were, until recently called Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks -- which means that besides sitting in trees, they like to whistle.

I thought my friend Dan Elsen was a strange duck!  They can be seen (except around here) grazing in open fields and swimming in shallow ponds. Their range is along the southern fringe of the U.S.