Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks basking in the Florida sun...

Birding Longboat Key, Florida

...continued from the Red-bellied Woodpecker eating a salamander post.

These beautiful ducks took me by surprise. They are gorgeous...rich russets, pink-orange bills, white eye rings, really long legs and necks, and to top it off, very noticeable Mohawk racing stripes painted down the back of their heads and necks.

Look at how long those legs are--not very ducky, and the necks are longer than the average duck too--almost swanlike. Males and females both look alike, which also is a bit un-ducky.

...wouldn't you think these exotic-looking beauties would be hidden away in a secluded location far from people? Nope...they were about 20 paces off the parking lot of a golf course, and they almost seemed tame--completely opposite of the timid Wood Ducks around our town that fly away whistling in terror at the slightest footstep.

...thank you for turning your head to show off that really cool Mohawk racing stripe. You're such a dude.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks like to nest in tree cavities like the Wood Ducks. They take to nest boxes also. I didn't get to see one standing in a tree, though. It was mid-afternoon, and they were busy eating clover.

:-)