# Black-bellied Whistling Duck



## 27metalman (Jun 26, 2020)

Been seeing a few of these this spring and finally got a pic with my phone last week.  I'm guessing they have a nest, but haven't seen it or any little ones yet.  They sure do "chat it up" while I'm fishing.


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## Mexican Squealer (Jun 28, 2020)

Cool picture, love to see them thriving as they seem to be...


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## 1eyefishing (Jun 28, 2020)

Which lake or area of the state? County?


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## jakebuddy (Jun 29, 2020)

Cavity nesters


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## 27metalman (Jun 29, 2020)

They are on a private tract in Bibb County.  I need to take a good camera and get a good pic of them.  Yesterday I got within 20 yds of them.  I guess they don't see me as a threat... like the coots we have.  They've accepted that I'm fishing and I'll soon pass them by.


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## ejm (Jun 29, 2020)

They seem to be pretty adaptable. We've got a pair nesting in a retention pond at the Georgia Ports Authority, between a main gate and the administration building. The traffic doesn't seem to bother them at all.


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## Core Lokt (Jun 30, 2020)

First started seeing them about 4 years ago. Just a pair here and there. Now, man, they have exploded in population. This is Jefferson and Leon counties. I've seen them take over WD boxes on the big lake too. 

And yes, they are very vocal when in flight.


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## across the river (Jun 30, 2020)

They have made it up to the fall line and a little above in some numbers, but they are gone at the first sign of cold weather.   Typically long gone before duck season starts.


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## GLS (Jul 1, 2020)

Anyone know whether or not they aggressively compete with wood ducks for nesting  cavities? Gil


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## Mexican Squealer (Jul 1, 2020)

From what I’ve seen, they seem to take over every wood duck box they can.


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## BBond (Jul 1, 2020)

GLS said:


> Anyone know whether or not they aggressively compete with wood ducks for nesting  cavities? Gil





Mexican Squealer said:


> From what I’ve seen, they seem to take over every wood duck box they can.




From my discussions in the past with the duck biologists they don't seem to overlap in use of boxes most of the time.  Seems wood ducks nest first and then the black bellies nest.


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## BBond (Jul 1, 2020)

Here is a map we've kept up with as far as which county has had a sighting and which county has shown breeding.

They do seem to head to FL and southern latitudes before we can get a shot at them.


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## CJT (Jul 2, 2020)

When I worked on the coast with GADNR, we would clean out the duck boxes and by mid-summer there would be upwards of 25-35 eggs in some boxes. BBWD’s are prolific dump-nesters. I do agree though that if the boxes are cleaned out properly from the prior year, the wood ducks will clutch and sometimes double clutch before the BBWD ever even get started. 
There are BBWD nest records now as far north as Illinois and Nebraska.


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## Dep6 (Jul 9, 2020)

Seen them 3-4 times now down by Hatchachubbee Creek, might be spelling wrong, on the Chattahoochee.


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## Mexican Squealer (Aug 3, 2020)




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## 27metalman (Aug 25, 2020)

Update:  No ducklings, so the pair I've been seeing must just be "hanging out" together.  LOL.  Still see them about every time I go to property.  Last Friday went alligator hunting and right at dark seen 25 to 30 more flying by.


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## earl2229 (Aug 27, 2020)

I’ve seen tons on lake Seminole.


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## Raybo1 (Sep 15, 2020)

Saw several on our farm in Randolph county last weekend. Are they legal to shoot in Georgia during duck season?


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## across the river (Sep 15, 2020)

Raybo1 said:


> Saw several on our farm in Randolph county last weekend. Are they legal to shoot in Georgia during duck season?


Yes, but they will likely be gone before the season comes in.


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## Red Dawg (Jan 5, 2021)

I started seeing them on Lake Seminole three years ago. They were all over the central part of the lake.  Saw them once during the first part of duck season but they disappeared during the split.


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## twoheartedale (Jan 5, 2021)

I've seen a few in Screven Co.


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## 27metalman (Jan 7, 2021)

Update:  I actually had a drove come over me a few weeks ago, 25-30 birds.  I got two.  First ones I've ever harvested.


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## MudDucker (Jan 10, 2021)

Seen a few in So Ga, but only killed them in central Florida.


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## smi175 (Nov 14, 2021)

There are about 60 in the small pond in our neighborhood in Effingham. Sure make a racket.


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## buckpasser (Dec 2, 2021)

There are now thousands of them in Thomas and Brooks counties. Very tame generally and as I’ve said before, pretty screwed up on their scheduling. They nest out in August and later. Mostly leave by duck season but are still here for now in this warmer weather.  I shot a couple years ago on a wood duck hunt and mounted them myself, but aren’t really interesting to hunt to me. 

Here’s a hanging dead I did on one.


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## jNick (Dec 3, 2021)

I’m in north central Florida and every year before the first split they fly south and disappear the day before opener. This year they’ve stayed so far and are still on my lake by the hundreds. Praying they stay ‘til next weeks opener. My Son and I tore them up last week.


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## Mexican Squealer (Dec 3, 2021)

Still got ‘em in SC....weird


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## GLS (Dec 3, 2021)

One of my sisters took the below photo late summer this year.  The birds were on a golf club pond locally.  I posted this a few months ago in the photos section.  Gil


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## jNick (Dec 13, 2021)

the little group of about 150 that I found still haven’t flown south. Killed a 4 man limit and some homeowner across the lake called Jonny law on us ?. This is how it turned out. Game wardens wanted a picture with my boy for their website after checking us ?. Dudes couldn’t of been cooler. Supposedly one of our cripples flew across the lake and crashed in her yard. I could hear the GW tell her on the phone “mam there’s nothing I can do, They’re legal, your gonna have to ring its neck”.


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## ddavis1120 (Dec 13, 2021)

jNick said:


> This is how it turned out. Game wardens wanted a picture with my boy for their website after checking us ?. Dudes couldn’t of been cooler. ”.



That's awesome!


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## MudDucker (Dec 13, 2021)

My encounters with FWC have been pretty good over the years.  Now my encounters with GWC ain't the same.


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## jNick (Dec 14, 2021)

Duck boat is in the shop, so I’m yakin’ it today. 5 down. Need 1 more and I can go to work. Brought out the old 20 gauge Wingmaster today. I forgot how tight this thing shoots.

We saved the legs and thighs off of a bunch from the weekend. Never tried them but heard they’re good. They’re bigger than chicken wings. Going to try smoking them this eve.


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## Bottomtime (Dec 14, 2021)

jNick said:


> the little group of about 150 that I found still haven’t flown south. Killed a 4 man limit and some homeowner across the lake called Jonny law on us ?. This is how it turned out. Game wardens wanted a picture with my boy for their website after checking us ?. Dudes couldn’t of been cooler. Supposedly one of our cripples flew across the lake and crashed in her yard. I could hear the GW tell her on the phone “mam there’s nothing I can do, They’re legal, your gonna have to ring its neck”.
> View attachment 1122214


The warden on the right with the binos is definitely a great guy. He used to work with my wife at FDLE before joining FWC. Kudos to you and your son for laying the smack down on the whistlers. My oldest son calls them "chicken ducks" due to a neighbor who lives on a lake feeding them like chickens year round. The birds will fly into his place every afternoon like clockwork looking for a hand-out.


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 14, 2021)

Interesting birds. First I ever saw was sitting in a oak tree whistling. I honestly didn't know what it was. A duck in a tree? ? The flyway I use to hunt they weren't even listed in the regs.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 14, 2021)

Can't hunt them in WV even with their expanding range


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## jNick (Dec 15, 2021)

Smoked/Grilled a bunch of legs off of some blackbellies this eve.  I still can’t believe how good they were. Definitely keeping the legs off them from now on.


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## Mexican Squealer (Dec 16, 2021)

Looks delicious


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## 27metalman (Dec 16, 2021)

That is a fine looking plate.


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## king killer delete (Dec 16, 2021)

They kill them in Rhetts during teal season every year. Game wardens write as fast as they can and more and more just keep dropping


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## ghadarits (Dec 16, 2021)

BBond said:


> Here is a map we've kept up with as far as which county has had a sighting and which county has shown breeding.
> 
> They do seem to head to FL and southern latitudes before we can get a shot at them.
> 
> View attachment 1024761


You can add Emanual County to the list. I watched two Monday on one of our ponds.


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 16, 2021)

Did some googling. So it's basically a bird from Mexico and not indigenous to the states. It is also not "water foul" if it sits in a tree. And they are taking over in groves. My vote is no closed season for them.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 16, 2021)

We can't shoot eiders or harlequins either, seen a few eiders here.

Woodies sit in trees too


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## jNick (Dec 16, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> Did some googling. So it's basically a bird from Mexico and not indigenous to the states. It is also not "water foul" if it sits in a tree. And they are taking over in groves. My vote is no closed season for them.



I’m glad you “did some googling” ?. I think by “sit” you mean roost? A wood duck roosts and “sits” in trees too, sometimes, as do blackbellys. Are you saying that wood ducks aren’t waterfowl too?

Blackbellys and wood ducks also share the same nesting holes in trees, but I’ve read that blackbellys have their clutch earlier and aren’t any competition to wood ducks hatching their eggs in the same holes.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 16, 2021)

jNick said:


> I’m glad you “did some googling” ?. I think by “sit” you mean roost? A wood duck roosts and “sits” in trees too, sometimes, as do blackbellys. Are you saying that wood ducks aren’t waterfowl too?
> 
> Blackbellys and wood ducks also share the same nesting holes in trees, but I’ve read that blackbellys have their clutch earlier and aren’t any competition to wood ducks hatching their eggs in the same holes.



Same with some mergs


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 17, 2021)

Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.


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## jNick (Dec 18, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.



?

If you read up on it you’ll learn that they’ll sometimes share the same nesting spots, but blackbellies and wood ducks nest at different times of the year. I love my wood ducks, but I don’t see any effect on them by blackbellys. Saw 40 woodrows this morning.
Anyway, I shot these this morning to do my part to stop the illegal invasion! Hope you did the same. ?


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## across the river (Dec 18, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.




They are like alligators or bald eagles, you see them in places you didn't see them before because the population has expanded and the range is expanding, not because someone let them out of a cage.   They will never impact wood ducks with any significance, because there range due to temperature is limited and they breed at different times, as already mentioned.  Improved habitat helps both, its not mutually exclusive.


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## jdgator (Dec 19, 2021)

It would be awesome if they made an early season Blackbelly Whistler hunt.


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## jNick (Dec 19, 2021)

We killed 9 more for you this morning Lukik. We’re winning the undocumented duck battle! ?


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 19, 2021)

jNick said:


> We killed 9 more for you this morning Lukik. We’re winning the undocumented duck battle! ? View attachment 1123249



Have gun. Can't travel. Good shooting  I really want to taste one now. They are in the Dollar General store retention pond and trees around here.


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 19, 2021)

A buddy of mine and me signed up one summer to survey all the duck boxes placed out to figure out why the wood duck population was still declining with additional nesting "facilities". What we found was raccoons swimming 100 yards out in the water and climbing 6' poles to eat the eggs and take up residence for there selves. Our little survey resulted in the cone type barriers that were present on most boxes in the day.


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## jdgator (Dec 19, 2021)

How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.


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## jNick (Dec 20, 2021)

jdgator said:


> How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.



It’s by far my favorite eating duck. Even better than teal and wood duck. More of a white meat like chicken or pork. I’ll take some pictures of the legs next time I clean some. They look the same as chicken thighs.
It’s raining and cold right now. I’m hoping this cold snap doesn’t chase them south. If it does then it’s back to the ringer grind......
I found two mud flats that they are using and we’re shooting them flying in between them. They’re fun to hunt. Respond well to calls. They’re really soft like teal, so it doesn’t take much to kill them. We pass on high shots and let them work in close. Usually kill more than one with the first shot. I killed 4 with one shot the other day.
So far we’re at

78 blackbellys
26 ringers
2 drake widgeon
6 wood ducks


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## buckpasser (Dec 20, 2021)

I doubt they will ever have an ounce of negative impact on any other waterfowl. Nothing to get upset about. They migrated here, and like ring neck doves they’ll find a place and become part of the landscape. 

As for nesting, I’ve only personally seen them ground nest much like a guinea fowl or chicken would. Not necessarily in the stealthiest of places either!  We’ve had healthy numbers of them here for more than a decade. I count them a blessing, but they definitely aren’t managed properly with normal duck season dates.  Maybe at some point that will need to be addressed.


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## jNick (Dec 20, 2021)

We definettly need them included in early Woodrow/Teal season.


buckpasser said:


> I doubt they will ever have an ounce of negative impact on any other waterfowl. Nothing to get upset about. They migrated here, and like ring neck doves they’ll find a place and become part of the landscape.
> 
> As for nesting, I’ve only personally seen them ground nest much like a guinea fowl or chicken would. Not necessarily in the stealthiest of places either!  We’ve had healthy numbers of them here for more than a decade. I count them a blessing, but they definitely aren’t managed properly with normal duck season dates.  Maybe at some point that will need to be addressed.



I agree. They are a bonus far as I’m concerned. The ones I’m killing this year are the first consistent I’ve killed in north Florida in probably 8 yrs. Down south on certain lakes we have to make everybody in our group stop shooting them so that we can stretch the hunt out and shoot ringers or teal. Good problem to have when it works.


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## killerv (Jan 7, 2022)

I saw two at a ballpark in Macon last year. Kept noticing a strange shaped bird up on a pine limb, walked over and it was a pair.


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## MudDucker (Jan 10, 2022)

Guy down here is feeding them to watch them.  Has over 300 hundred now.


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## jNick (Jan 10, 2022)

jdgator said:


> How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.



Shot these yesterday. Shot some more this morning. Seems that they’re going to stay through the year, I hope. The thighs on the grill are hard to beat.


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