This is Bird Note.

A flock of gorgeous waterfowl flies above a marsh on the Texas coastline.

Large and slender, they have bright pink bills and legs, chestnut necks and backs, and black underparts.

Their wings flash boldly, black and white.

And as they fly, they whistle. They're called black-bellied whistling ducks,

and they're widespread in Central and South America. They've been easy to find in the U.S. along

the western Gulf Coast and Florida, but they're also expanding northward. They've been spotted nesting as far north

as Wisconsin. The black-bellied is one of eight species of whistling ducks worldwide, in the

tropics and subtropics. Whistling ducks are anything but typical ducks, to which they're only

distantly related. Black-bellied whistling ducks are monogamous, and the male and female look alike.

At roost during the day, whistling ducks will sometimes stand on tree branches, their long pink

legs catching the sun. Late in the day, large flocks gather, then whistle their way overhead at sunset

to nighttime feeding areas in fields or along the shore.

A lovely and vibrant spectacle, with unique sound effects.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.

Support comes from Wild Delight Bird Food,

offering a variety of blends designed to mimic the natural resources

wild birds crave, available at chewy.com.