Readers have been asking me about some odd-looking ducks roaming their yards. I understand the wonderment. Black-bellied whistling-ducks don’t walk like typical ducks, nor feed like typical ducks.

In August 2010, I wrote a column about the black-bellied whistling-duck. It’s an odd “tree duck” that looks like a cross between a goose and a duck. Its genus name, Dendrocygna, means “tree swan.” ...

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks have been expanding their range into South Carolina, including the Lowcountry. These big, goose-like birds are common throughout much of Mexico and Central and South ...