It's a duck i think

[zazouse]

This critter flew in yesterday to one of my ponds and is now hanging around the feeding area, my other ducks,geese,chickens and guineas have been trying to run it off but it comes right back.
It makes a whistling sound, has web feet and i see white on its flight feathers when it flys.
Here is a photo, sorry it's not the best but i can't download photos from my other camera on my laptop.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Gorgeous- its a Red billed Whistling duck- or maybe a black bellied one.... Someone on here just got some of these guys recently- cant remember who- but they sure are lucky- Enjoy your visitor.

 

[mhwc56]

WOW that is an amazing looking creature...comical and elegant looking all at the same time....

 

[Hoss1975]

I think that ia a black bellied whistling duck.

 

[srpaint]

Very pretty!!!!

 

[Hattiegun]

hes gorgeous

 

[Josh45640]

Quote:
bingo.

 

[coloradochick]

That second pic is cute

"Hey, who's the new guy

?"

 

[zazouse]

Thank you all for the wonderful replies.

It was still here this morning it is making the rounds of the ponds and comming near the feeding area, it is not afriad of my dogs but is leary of humans, at first i thought it might belong to someone but now i just do not know, there is a fellow down the road that use to raise exotic water fowl on a big scale and i think he still does on a small scale, but would this be considered an exotic duck? if so mabe he is missing it from his pens.

I have all kinds of ducks and even canadian geese visit my ponds but they never stay long, this one seems to like it here.

 

[Dr. Todd]

It's a Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis). They are native and locally common in your part of Texas. They're also quite common in captivity, but the duck should have a leg band or be missing the hind toe on the right leg if it's a captive bird that escaped.
DT