Wood Duck

Scientific name: Aix sponsa
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anserifomes
Class: Aves

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The Wood Duck is between 43-51 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 70-73centimeters. The male Wood Duck is beautifully colored. The crown and crest is an iridescent green with blue and purple makings. Two white-lined markings extend up from the neck to the face. His throat is white. The bill, which is patterned in black, white, and red, slopes downward. The belly is white, eyes are red, legs and feet are a dark yellow and his tail is uniquely squared. In contrast, the female Wood Duck is mainly gray-brown, with a white tear drop shaped eye patch and a gray bill. The juvenile female Wood Duck is colored similar to the adult female. The juvenile male is colored similar to the adult male.

There are three mutations of the Wood Duck coloration: the Apricot, the White and the Silver forms. The White Wood Duck is primarily white with pinkish markings. The Apricot Wood Duck is a pastel apricot color, and the bill is a deeper red. The newest and most unique mutation is the Silver Wood Duck. The plumage of the Silver Wood Duck is shades of dark gray to silver.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Wood Ducks are primarily found in wooded areas of North America and southern Canada. During the winter months, the eastern birds migrate to the south and the western birds migrate to central California. Wood Ducks often inhabit woodland, swamps, marshes, and lakes.

BEHAVIOR:

Wood Ducks are amongst the few ducks that roost and nest in trees. Newly hatched chicks will jump from the nest to follow their mother to water. Baby Wood Ducks can survive falls of more than 40 ft. Male Wood Ducks are extremely territorial during the mating season, and aggressively protect the area around the female.

DIET:

Wood Ducks feed in shallow water and on forest floors. The adult Wood Ducks diet consist of nuts and fruits from forest trees, seeds, bur-reed, rice, arrow arum, wild rice, sedge, smartweeds, barnyard grass, aquatic invertebrates, and insects. Diet of young birds includes insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and high protein animal material.

BREEDING and NESTING:

Courtship begins in the fall and continues through winter and spring. During this period, Wood Ducks pair up and remain monogamous for the breeding season. The breeding season begins in April for the southern part of the range and in northern regions after the ice thaws. Older Wood Ducks begins mating earlier in the season, unlike the yearlings which mate toward the latter half of the breeding season. Wood Ducks nest in natural tree cavities, abandoned woodpeckers nests, and man-made nesting boxes. They always nest near woodland rivers, wetlands, and aquatic habitats which is essential to brood rearing. Wood Ducks prefer cavities that are 30 ft. or more above ground level, although heights may vary from near ground level to 65 ft. The diameter of the cavity hole is at least 4 inches. The inside cavity diameter is between 6-8 inches, and the depth of the cavity is at least 24 inches. The average clutch of a female Wood Duck is between 6-15 eggs, but at times 40 eggs or more have been reported. Large numbers of eggs are assumed to be an act of egg-dumping. Egg-dumping is the act of laying extra eggs in another duck's nest. The female will incubate her eggs between 27-37 days, and when her brood are 26-36 days old she will lead them to water. The brood will become totally independent at 56-70 days old.

Wild Population: