White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Other Names

  White-faced Tree Duck, White-faced Duck   Dendrocygne veuf   Witwenpfeifgans   Suirirí Cariblanco   Vithuvad visseland   Witwangfluiteend, Witkopboomeend   Dendrocigna facciabianca

World: Africa, from Mauritania East to Ethiopia and Somalia then south through eastern Africa to South Africa and Madagascar; South Central and South America.

Kenya: Common and widespread throughout the southern half of the country, absent from much of the North. Breeds at Lakes Victoria and Baringo, around the Athi River and along the coast.

One of two whistling Ducks found in Kenya; the name is unusually helpful since it's quite easily distinguished, even in flight by the white face and black neck. It's usually found around areas of fairly still fresh water, including slightly alkaline lakes. It can be easily spotted around the swamps at Amboseli or from a boat trip around the edge of Lake Baringo. At Baringo it's sometimes possible to see individuals which are almost completely white in colour.