One thing that I absolutely love about living in Florida is the abundance of wildlife we have here. We have a number of plants and animals that are found no where else in the world, and many more that are found in no other place in the United States. Although black bellied whistling ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) can also be found in small areas in several states along the gulf coast, Florida is the only state where they can be found throughout the state. Their populations in the US are strictly limited to very southerly locations. They can also be found along the coasts of Mexico, Central America, and well into South America. As you can see, they are very pretty ducks that are colorfully marked. They’re different from most ducks in that they form long term monogamous pairs and they are not highly migratory (although they are protected by the Migratory Bird Act). They are also unusual for ducks in building their nests in tree cavities and frequently perching and resting in trees. These behaviors have earned them the alternative name of black bellied tree ducks.

These black bellied whistling ducks were hanging around high up in the trees surrounding the river at Manatee Springs State Park. I first noticed one when it was scared up into a tree from the water by another kayaker. As I neared the area, I realized that there were actually several of them up there. All of them were up on sturdy branches that gave them good views of the river and everything that was going on. There were a couple of pairs as well as these two single birds scattered throughout the trees. Had they been another species, I would have thought that they were getting ready to roost, but these ducks often feed nocturnally, so they were probably waiting for all of the people to leave so that they could forage in peace and quiet.