Spotted Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna guttata

SSP Coordinator:

Ian Shelley, Maryland Zoo in Baltimore 

Vice Coordinator:

Christina O'Donnell, Philadelphia Zoo 

The spotted whistling duck (Dendrocygna guttata) is a medium-sized waterfowl species native to northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia, and is currently classified as Least Concern in the wild with a stable population. It inhabits freshwater wetlands, including swamps, marshes, lagoons, rice fields, and slow-moving rivers, often favoring areas with dense vegetation. Spotted whistling ducks are mainly herbivorous, feeding on grasses, seeds, aquatic plants, and cultivated grains, but they also consume small invertebrates such as insects when available. Their adaptability to a variety of wetland habitats has helped maintain healthy populations across much of their range.