White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Silhouette: Kai Caspar · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
GenusDendrocygna (Whistling-Ducks)
SpeciesDendrocygna viduata (White-faced Whistling Duck)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Table Mountain National Park

31 Verified sightings at Table Mountain National Park From 2019 to 2026

11,068 Verified sightings across all 73 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-faced Whistling Duck

The white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) is a whistling duck that breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America. This species is gregarious, and at favoured sites, the flocks of a thousand or more birds arriving at dawn are an impressive sight. As the name implies, these are noisy birds with a clear three-note whistling call.

The white-faced whistling duck was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 1766 twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae, under the binomial name Anas viduata. He specified the type locality as Cartagena in Colombia. The white-faced whistling duck is now one of eight species placed in the genus Dendrocygna that was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William Swainson. The species is considered as monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek dendron, meaning "tree", with the genus name Cygnus, meaning "swan" in Latin. The specific epithet viduata is Latin and means "widowed" or "in mourning".

The white-faced whistling duck has a long grey bill, a long head, and longish legs. It has a black neck and head, and a distinctive white face that... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park

Dendrocygna bicolor

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Anas undulata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anser anser

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Spatula smithii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cairina moschata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Plectropterus gambensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anas sparsa

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anas capensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cygnus atratus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Sarkidiornis melanotos

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~50%
2	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~50%
3	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~40%
4	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~40%
5	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~40%
6	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
7	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~30%
8	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
9	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
10	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
11	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
12	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
13	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
14	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
15	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
16	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~20%
17	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~20%
18	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
19	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
20	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
21	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
22	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
23	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
24	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
25	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
26	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
27	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
28	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
29	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
30	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
31	Berenty Reserve	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~10%
32	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~10%
33	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
34	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
35	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
36	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
37	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
38	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
39	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
40	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
41	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
42	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
43	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
44	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
45	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
46	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
47	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
48	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
49	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
50	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
51	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
52	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
53	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
54	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
55	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
56	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
57	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
58	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
59	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
60	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
61	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
62	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
63	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
64	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
65	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
66	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
67	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
68	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
69	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
70	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
71	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
72	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
73	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

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White-faced Whistling Duck

About the White-faced Whistling Duck

Recent sightings of White-faced Whistling Duck in Table Mountain National Park

Closest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Egyptian Goose

Yellow-billed Duck

Greylag Goose

Cape Shoveler

Muscovy Duck

Spur-winged Goose

African Black Duck

Cape Teal

Black Swan

Comb Duck

Mallard

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found