Oklahoma Vagrants: Fulvous Whistling-Duck

pi-piTEEEW or pitheeew

Found in small flocks in shallow ponds or grassy marshes, this colorful duck can be active at night.  It also whistles continuously while in flight.  They run to take off while in the water, and will stretch the neck and legs down while landing.

This species started coming to Hackberry Flats in 2010 and still does so to the present day, but more often now.  It appears that this is the only location in the state that it frequents other than possibly Red Slough, but it was not in McCurtain County in 2018.

The fulvous tree duck is known to wander hundreds of miles in roving flocks, yet unlike the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, they rarely perch in trees.

                                                           Fulvous Whistling-Duck
                                                                     TX 2015

Both diurnal and nocturnal this cavity nester breeds in southern Louisiana and Texas, and has large global range.  This rust colored duck with gray bill, long legs, and a distinctive white band is shown across the tail while in flight.  Though the are herbivorous, the female will partake of worms, insects, and mollusks prior to egg laying.  A quarter of her diet will consist of cereal grains while she is incubating.

They are susceptible to power line collisions and have trouble with pesticides used in rice crops, but despite this, as well as hunting, it still manages to be a species of least concern in its large sweep in the southern hemisphere.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Common Nighthawk

Easily seen around fields, ponds, lakes, and other open clearings, the Common Nighthawk has a familiar peent, peent, peent that you will easily learn to recognize.  Even though "hawk" is in the name of this bird, it is not a hawk, but a nighthawk in the nightjar family.  In comparison to nightjars, they have smaller heads, long pointed wings, and are seen during the day, as opposed to only being noticed at night or twilight (crepuscular).

Seen all over the continental US, they are solitary birds and form groups when migrating or foraging.  They are quite conspicuous during daylight hours, but once they are at rest upon the ground on upon a tree branch, their cryptic coloration keeps them very well hidden.

The most remarkable thing about the bullbat is the tiny bill, which can open into a gaping cavern.   During courtship, males also perform a stunning aerial display for females.  The bullbat performs steep dives with downflexed wings and ending in a rush of air that creates a booming sound.  It can be heard in the above video, which is one reason why it was chosen to illustrate this piece.

                                                                Common Nighthawk
                                                                 Aransas NWR, 2016

The bugeater often takes advantage of the attraction of insects to street- or stadium lights.  They are almost exclusively insectivores, though it is rare that they may consume vegetation.

There is no nest that is built, as the two eggs are lain directly upon flat ground in the forest.  The female can move them several feet from the original position.  Both sexes incubate in day and night shifts, as well as tend to the needs of the young.  Feeding is done by regurgitation, and the young are kept on a night shift.  Eggshells are removed or consumed to keep predators away from the area.

Even if a carnivore is in close proximity, the nest will rarely be abandoned.  If so, it is done with much fanfare and consternation.  Domestic animals, snakes, owls, hawks, crows, coyotes, raccoons, etc. are the usual culprits.

Pesticides and the lack of gravel roofs are contributing problems to localized declines.  Many rubber roofs now have gravel pads for this reason.