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A black-bellied whistling duck and nine ducklings have been confirmed spotted at a farm pond in north-central Ohio. This isn't the first individual black-bellied whistling duck spotted in Ohio (that was in 2004), but it is the first actual nest.
Normally they are tropical ducks. Before the 21st century the farthest north their range was known to extend was the Rio Grande River valley in Texas.
Normally they are tropical ducks. Before the 21st century the farthest north their range was known to extend was the Rio Grande River valley in Texas.
On September 8, 2022, word emerged about nesting Black-bellied Whistling Ducks nesting on a small farm pond in Wayne County. The landowner, Henry Miller, noticed the ducks on his pond, and quite understandably did not recognize this largely tropical species. A neighbor, Harry Swartzentruber, made the identification, Joe Rabor got the word out, and the rest is history.
This is an exciting record, and probably the first of more nestings to follow in Ohio and elsewhere in the Midwest. Wisconsin has already had a breeding record, in 2020. It'll be interesting to see how this apparent range expansion plays out in the years to come. For now, we can wish the best for the Wayne County brood and hope the lateness of the season does not cause them issues.