Жаңылбас суқұсы (Dağılbas suqūsı)

Species of bird

The spotted whistling duck (Dendrocygna guttata) is a member of the duck family Anatidae. It is also referred to as the "spotted tree duck". This duck can be found in Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and the Philippines. Spotted ducks are also held in captive populations.

The Spotted whistling duck is one of the smaller species in the genus Dendrocygna. This duck grows to 43–50 cm tall. Males can weigh anywhere from 590g to 650g while females weigh 610g to 860g. White spots on their flanks and breasts gave these ducks the spotted name. The sides of the neck, faces, and eyebrows are all grey. Black or dark brown coloring stretches from the crown nape to the hindneck. This dark coloring is also found in the eyepatch. Their coloring resembles a cape with a thick collar. This cape starts as a light brown then fades into a darker brown closer to the tail. Their underbelly is mostly brown, sometimes spotted, and significantly lighter than the wings and the “collar.” A white bar on the upper tail coverts can be seen during flight aiding in identification. They have dull pink legs with black webbed feet and sharp nails. The bill is dark, yet often seen with portions of red and a small white mark on the lower mandible. Spotted whistling ducks look as though they are raised from the ground, as though they are standing up tall. the spotted whistling duck has a single annual molt.

The spotted whistling duck, Dendrocygna guttata, was first reported in 1866. Like all other birds, it is an animal in the phylum Chordata and the class Aves. The spotted whistling duck is a part of the order Anseriformes, which includes all waterfowl. Swans, geese, and ducks are all a part of the family Anatidae. Within Anatidae, the family Dendrocygna encompasses all whistling ducks. (Beruldsen) The majority of feeding occurs at night.

The genus Dendrocygna has strong pair bonds. Male and female birds are visually similar, females are slightly heavier than males. Without weighing the bird sex is difficult to determine. Breeding season begins in September with active nests found as late as April. Their nests are found in hollowed out trees. Both parents participate in nest building at the same time. One pair can have several clutches a year consisting of 10 11 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for 18–31 days and when hatched the chick weighs 17.5g. In captivity, the chicks fledged at 7 weeks, yet in the wild scientists have observed chicks flying at 45–50 days old. The spotted whistling duck has a breeding system described as ‘primitive,’ which is consistent with other basal groups in Anseriformes.

Spotted whistling ducks are found in groups with their own species and often with D. arcata. Compared to others in the genus, these ducks are less vocal. These birds perch on tree branches in groups slightly smaller than flocks. The flocks are often a mix of adults and juveniles. The adults shepard the juveniles keeping them close to the group. In 2000 Beruldsen observed a group consisting of 6 juveniles and two adults, male and female. The juveniles seemed unbothered by the human presence, but the adults made sure there was distance between Buruldsen and the juveniles. The birds kept their distance but seemed to be unaffected. The adult male positioned himself between the juveniles and the humans, protecting the other birds. This behavior was often accompanied by several high pitched ticking calls.

The spotted whistling duck is listed as least concern. Their population is stable with populations ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 birds. In captivity they were found to be specifically susceptible to avian tuberculous. Twenty seven percent of bird species get avian tuberculosis and the disease is usually fatal. Spotted whistling ducks die at a higher rate than other birds. Within one collection of captive birds, the death rate of avian tuberculous reached 70% with the majority of deaths occurring from January to March. The relatively small size of this bird could explain the increased death rate.

The spotted whistling duck is not hunted often. These ducks are found in captivity, like many other duck species.