Rare Duck Newest Lake Audubon Resident

It is a tradition for Lake Audubon residents Connie and Paul Hartke to end each summer day with a pontoon boat ride around the lake.

On an evening ride in early July, they were startled and excited to see an unknown bird with an unusual and beautiful beak. 

 With the help of their birding books, other Lake Audubon neighbors and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, they identified their newfound friend as a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  (Dendrocygna autumnalis). 

They nicknamed their new friend "Pico," Spanish for beak. He is a rare find in Virginia indeed.

According to Carol Hadlock, Reston bird enthusiast and employee at The Bird Feeder store in Reston, this tropical bird is native to South America. It is typically is found from Brazil to the Rio Grande.

This year, though, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks have been sighted this past spring in areas all over North America, including Wisconsin, Michigan and even Canada. 

"People have speculated that their migration was due to climate change and/or the Texas oil spill, " said Hadlock. "But I think it's more likely to be a range expansion." 

Paul Hartke says Pico has made himself at home with the native geese and duck population on Lake Audubon.  He's fitting right in, just like, well, a  duck to water.

Katie Shaw, manager of the Walker Nature Education Center said this was the first time this type of duck has been recorded in Reston.

"We are thrilled to add it to the Birds of Reston checklist as a rare species for Reston,"  she said.

Interested in going out to look for Pico? Contact the Hartkes at NorthernVa on Facebook.