Black-bellied whistling ducks are goofy birds

For starters, they don’t even really act like ducks. Or look like the typical duck, either, with lanky legs that trail behind them in flight, a brilliant pinkish bill and an unmistakable white patch on the wings. They prefer to stand in the water rather than float. They are noisy as all get-out and will perch just about anywhere, from trees to utility poles to the roofs of houses. “They are a really unique species,” said Kevin Ringelman, assistant professor of avian ecology, waterfowl ecology and management at University of California, Davis.

Original article: Why black-bellied whistling ducks are expanding in Texas, Louisiana and beyond