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Plumed Whistling-Duck

(Dendrocygna eytoni)
: "Plumed Tree-duck", "Gras Whistle Duck", "Eyton's Tree-duck"

Aboriginal name(s): "chipala", "nowee"
Size: 40-60 cm
Weight: 0.6-1.4 kg

Similar species

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species Click here for a physical description

Plumed Whistling-Ducks are medium-sized ducks with cream-coloured to brown plumage, with prominent plumes sticking out over the folded wings. Head, neck and plumes are cream-coloured, the bill is only slightly darker. The breast is brown, the mantle grey-brown, while the belly is almost white. The eyes have brown irises, the legs and feet are yellow.

Twitcher's tip

Overall, the appearance of Plumed Whistling-Ducks is light-brown, whereas the similar Wandering Whistling-Duck is noticeably darker.

Taxonomy, classification

See Plumed Whistling-Duck at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Plumed Whistling-Duck is available HERE .

Plumed Whistling-Ducks are found only in Australia and in southern, near-coastal New Guinea. There is an introduced population on the North Island of New Zealand.

In Australia Plumed Whistling-Ducks populate the entire northern coastline of the continent and the northern inland, down to about a line from Exmouth, WA, via Tennant Creek, NT, into QLD. Down the eastern seaboard they are found all along Cape York, the eastern half of QLD (occasionally also in the western part) and the eastern parts of NSW and VIC (with the exception of a narrow coastal fringe from about Sydney, NSW, to Melbourne, VIC).

Plumed Whistling-Ducks are often found in wetlands, including ephemeral wetlands, in relatively open country such as open grassland. They are also often found around irrigation dams and smaller farm dams.

Twitcher's tip

Plumed Whistling-Ducks are highly nomadic. One day there may be a flock of 200 somewhere, the next day they are all gone. When water is scarce, they may stick around for lack of anywhere else to go.

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

We first spotted Plumed Whistling-Ducks in January 2009, when a flock of about 50 birds was spotted by us on a farm dam about 20 km North of Narrabri, NSW.

The summer of 2011/12 saw many Plumed Whistling-Ducks in inland NSW. We spotted a flock of about 200 birds at Kenebri, NSW, in December 2011. More birds were seen in the same timeframe in the township of Narrabri and at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri. Since then we, and local contributors, find them in inland NSW infrequently and irregularly, but always in substantial numbers.

Hundreds were seen in July 2009 on a pond in an urban park in South Rockhampton, QLD.

C. Hayne reports seeing huge flocks of several hundred birds in wetlands, including Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, on various occasions. In 2014 a flock of 200 stayed in the township for an extended period of time.

In December 2014 a flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks was spotted on a small dam at the Burren Junction Bore Bath.

J. Greaves and H. Mouritsen report spotting flocks of hundreds of Plumed Whistling-Ducks in various parts of the Top End of the NT, e.g. at Yellow Water billabong, Kakadu NP, NT. Other contributors also report finding the species in and around Darwin and the rest of the Top End of the NT.

J. Ross-Taylor reports spotting Plumed Whistling-Ducks in a suburban park with wetland on the Gold Coast, QLD, in May 2015.

M. Mearns reports spotting a mixed flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks and Wandering Whistling-Ducks in the floodplain of the Mary River, NT, in August 2008. Plumed Whistling-Ducks were also found at Home Hill, QLD, in September 2019.

M. Eaton reports finding Plumed Whistling-Ducks in Gatton, QLD, in April 2018.

M. Eaton spotted Plumed Whistling-Ducks at Lakefield NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Plumed Whistling-Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, April 2018]

Frontal view of Plumed Whistling-Ducks (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks entering water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, April 2018]

Three of a flock of about 200 Plumed Whistling-Ducks (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a Plumed Whistling-Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Plumed Whistling-Duck
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2020]

Lateral view of two Plumed Whistling-Ducks on a farm dam
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2011]

Lateral view of Plumed Whistling-Ducks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, April 2018]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks in brilliant sunlight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, August 2017]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks in brillian sunlight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, August 2017]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks seen on a pond
[Rockhampton, QLD, July 2009]

Overview of about half of all Plumed Whistling-Ducks seen on one pond
[Rockhampton, QLD, July 2009]

Nine of about 50 Plumed Whistling-Ducks spotted by us at a farm dam
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2009]

Part of a small flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2020]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks resting in shallow water (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[McMinns Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, July 2019]

In this photo the evening light illuminates the plumes very conspicuously
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2009]

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks on water
[Near Kenebri, NSW, April 2011]

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks on water (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Moree, NSW, April 2014]

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks on land (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Mixed flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks and Wandering Whistling-Ducks in a tropical flood plain, avoiding a saltwater crocodile (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Mary River, NT, August 2008]

Lateral view of Plumed Whistling-Ducks in direct comparison with a Royal Spoonbill
[Rockhampton, QLD, July 2009]

Lateral view of Plumed Whistling-Ducks in direct comparison with a Spur-winged Plover and a Magpie Goose
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marlow Lagoon, Palmerston, NT, February 2019]

This photo of landing Plumed Whistling-Ducks shows clearly that the plumes are attached to the body, not to the wings
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marlow Lagoon, Palmerston, NT, February 2019]

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks taking to the air (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks in flight (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Moree, NSW, April 2014]

Plumed Whistling-Ducks in flight; here one can see clearly that the plumes grow on the body and are not part of the wings
[Kenebri, NSW, February 2009]

Flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks in flight
[Burren Junction, NSW, December 2014]

Ventral view of a Plumed Whistling-Duck in flight; the left wing is partly obscured by the foliage of a tree, but the right underwing can be seen in its true colours
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Family of Plumed Whistling-Ducks; note how similar the (smaller) juveniles are to the leading adult
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Nomadic Elementary unit: Large flock

Even on small waters, such as a farm dam, Plumed Whistling-Ducks can appear in huge numbers, up to thousands at a time (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Near Mount Molloy, QLD, June 2015]

About half of a flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks around a farm dam (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Berida-Bullagreen Road, central western NSW, October 2020]

"Small" flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks next to a farm dam
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2018]

When a flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks alights, it can raise dust off the parched inland soil
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2018]

Small flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks above a farm dam - who can spot the odd one out?
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2018]

Overview of a small flock of Plumed Whistling-Ducks - who would like to count them? Don't miss the two stragglers!
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2018]

Food, Diet

Like all other geese, ducks and swans, Plumed Whistling-Ducks are mostly vegetarian. They feed on plants on land.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

plwduck_20201110_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
plwduck_20201110_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (arrival, with Australian Wood Duck)	© MD
plwduck_20201110.m4a	(NW NSW)	Getting nervous & departure (small flock)	© MD
plwduck_20201110_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	? (small flock)	© MD

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

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