Common and locally abundant. Migratory and nomadic.
Habitat
Mainly streams, lakes, swamps or water-holes of northern inland areas, preferring shallow water near the margins of streams and swamps, usually in dense flocks.
Voice
A shrill, whistling, uttered as a single sharp note or a high, squeaky, wheezy 'tzwit-tzwit-tzwit-tzwit...'. A continuos 'jizzing-chittering' intermixed with high whistles uttered by roosting, alarmed flocks and in flight.
Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) [XC816303]
by James Lambert from Georgetown, Etheridge Shire, Queensland, Australia (flight call)
Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) [XC256274]
by Phil Gregory from Tallebudgera, Queensland, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
August - May, mainly September - March.
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Nest
A slight hollow in the ground, lined with dried grasses, among grass or herbage growing upon plains, often far from water.
Eggs (Guide)
8 - 14; white; oval; about 44 - 51 x 33 - 38 mm. Incubation: 28 - 30 days; by both sexes.
Young
Precocial, nidifugous.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Wandering Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) which has shorter plumes, black legs and feet and has a lower stance.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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