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The Wlson Journal of Ornithology 124( I): 183- 1 85, 2012 
Evidence of Double Brooding by Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks 
J. Dale James , 12 Jonathan E. Thompson , 13 and Bart M. Ballard 1 1 
ABSTRACT.—We report the first observation of 
double brooding by Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks 
IDendrocygna autumnal is). We monitored 151 nest 
k° Xcs on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge in 
H »uth Texas during 1998 and 1999 and uniquely marked 
' Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Texas A&M 
University—Kingsville, V1SC 218. Kingsville. TX 78363. 
USA. 
Current address: Ducks Unlimited Inc., 193 Business 
f.»k Drive, Suite E. Ridgeland. MS 39157. USA. 
Current address: Ducks Unlimited Canada. #200. 10720- 
'^8 Street, Edmonton. AB T5S 1J3, Canada. 
Corresponding author; e-mail: bart.ballard@tamuk.edu 
all incubating pairs of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks 
using these nesting structures. We color-banded a pair ol 
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in May 1999 that was 
incubating a clutch of 21 eggs, Irom which 18 young 
eventually Hedged. The same pair later Incubated a second 
clutch of 15 eggs in July and August 1999. of which 12 
hatched. Double brooding is apparently not a common 
reproductive strategy for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks 
in south Texas, but could be facilitated through biparental 
investment in most aspects of reproduction, including 
incubation and brood rearing, and a relatively long 
potential breeding season in most of this species' breeding 
range. Received 9 Max 20JI. Accepted 22 July 201 /. 
