The Wood Duck
Description
The Wood Duck is a small to medium size dabbling duck measuring 19 inches in length. The adult male has red eyes and a distinctive orange beak with a black tip, and multi-colored iridescent plumage. Their head is streaked with green, white, and brown, and they had a distinctive white patch on their cheek. The breast feathers are dark brown with white spots and they have iridescent blue-green feathers on their back. The male Wood Duck is easily spotted and easily identified.The female is brown with white stripes on her breast and a small blue spot on her wing. The dark beak, white throat and eye patches add to the overall camouflage pattern. Hidden within the reeds and grasses along the shoreline, the female is difficult to spot. Both adults have crested heads which is not always noticeable. Juveniles resemble the females, as do non-breeding males.
The Wood Duck
May 22, 2009
May 22, 2009
Wood Duck
May 17, 2009
May 17, 2009
May 17, 2009
Range and Habitat
The Wood Duck inhabits wooded wetlands, slow-moving tree lined rivers, marshes and ponds along the eastern and western coasts of the United States and Mexico. They prefer habitats with deciduous trees, and tend to shy away from human interaction. They are rarely seen along coastal waterways. 
Wood Duck Habitat
To imprint her voice on her ducklings, the hen begins communicating to them before they hatch. She quietly "quacks" to them throughout the incubation period.
Mating and Nesting
Wood Duck are cavity nesters. The most common natural cavities used are abandoned woodpecker holes, but will use artificial nest boxes. They line the cavity with down before the female lays her eggs. The usual clutch size is 9 to 14 eggs and they are incubated for 25 to 35 days. Once the female starts incubating the eggs, the pair split up. The male Wood Duck joins other males and finds a secluded spot and starts their annual molt. The female molts while still tending her young.Less than 24 hours after hatching, the young leap from the nest to the ground or the water. They can swim and feed themselves right from the start but the female will tend them for another 5 or 6 weeks before abandoning them. Not yet able to fly, the young are on their own. At 8 to 9 weeks of age they gain their wings and fly.
The day after the eggs hatch, the female Wood Duck will perch on a nearby tree and call to her young. One-by-one the ducklings climb to the entrance of the nest and jump. The drop can be up to 60 feet. Once all the ducklings are on the ground, the hen leads her brood to the water.
Togetherness
Diet
While aquatic plant seeds make up a majority of their diet, the Wood Duck is an omnivore. They will eat aquatic invertebrates as well as insects such as beetles, dragonflies and grasshoppers. They will forage on land for seeds, wander through grain fields, and search berries and other fruits growing close to the ground. When residing in areas with oak trees, acorns are a major part of their diet. Mallards are known as puddle or dabbling ducks, which means they search for food on or near the water's surface. They dabble by tipping up with their head under water, and their tail wagging in the wind.
Voice
The female Wood Duck's voice is a shrill who-eek, who-eek, who-eek. The male's is a less distinctive squeak.Listen to the call of the Wood Duck: Sound Byte: The Wood Duck, National Park Service
Conservation Status
There was a serious decline in the number of Wood Duck during the late 19th Century due to habitat loss and over-hunting. They were on the verge of extinction early in the 20th Century. They came under the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. Changes in the gaming laws and initiatives to provide nest boxes has made a difference. The population of wood ducks has reached to sustainable numbers. Selecting a Pair of Binoculars
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Selecting a Pair of Bird Watching Binoculars
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When I look out my window and watch the birds flutter around the birdfeeder, I really don't need a pair of binoculars or a scope to enjoy the sight. I frequently stop by the window and watch the birds for a minute or two between household tasks. (Occ...
Some of My Favorite Dabblers
Have you seen any interesting birds lately?
Tipi wrote...
I've seen many Wood Ducks and their young in nature. They are very pretty bird and fun to watch as they drive underwater. A great lens, Lizzy!!! :)
Posted February 21, 2009
PaulHassing wrote...
Another flawless effort! Your use of Did You Know boxes is inspiring! Many thanks for showing me how it's done! P. :)
Posted January 19, 2009
About the Author
Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen, aka Lizzy Jean, has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 3,690 lenses, favorited 454, and has created 169 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses
Why Birds Do That
Why Birds Do That: 40 Distinctive Bird Behaviors Explained & Photographed
Amazon Price: $12.44 (as of 07/11/2009)
Birds are fascinating. Their behavior is complex, often comical. Some sing while others do not. Why Birds Do That explains forty distinctive bird behaviors and is enhanced with numerous photographs. It is a must have book for both the backyard bird watcher as well as the avid birder.
Resources used to construct this page.
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
The Wood Duck, Eek! Critter Corner
Seattle Audubon Society
Wood Duck Fact Sheet,Department of Natural Resources, Maryland
by ElizabethJeanAllen
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