Wild hybridization between White-faced (Dendrocygna viduata) and Fulvous (D. bicolor) Whistling Ducks

Abstract

Wild hybridization between the White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) and the Fulvous Whistling Duck (D. bicolor) has been documented in South Africa, but there are few reports for the Americas. Here, we present seven such records for South America, five in Brazil and two in Argentina. The data show that this biological phenomenon occurs throughout the distribution of these species, but it is rare. The hybrids exhibit a general body pattern like that of the Fulvous Whistling Duck, while details of the head, neck, and wings are more like those of the White-faced Whistling Duck. These records document the occurrence, frequency, and distribution of hybridization among whistling ducks in the Southern Hemisphere, where reports remain scarce.