Wood Duck

I. DESCRIPTION:
 

Size 17-20 inches. Surface feeding. They ride higher in the water than other ducks. Male: crested; unmistakable, complex face pattern; body boldly patterned with iridescent maroon, green, purple, white. Female: head gray crested; eye-ring, throat, and underparts white; back gray-brown; speculum blue. In flight, head held above level of body, bill pointed down at an angle; short neck and long, square tail conspicuous. Makes a distinctive whistling sound.

 

II. GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:
 

There are three largely distinct populations in North America: the states of the Atlantic Flyway; the states of the Mississippi flyway and the eastern half of the eastern states in the Central Flyway; and the Pacific population ranging through southern British Columbia, parts of western Idaho, Montana and Washington, and Oregon and California. The Pacific population winters in Mexico except for the small Pacific coast population that winters along waterways in southern hardwoods and in central California. Prefer quiet undisturbed woodlands, creeks, rivers, floodplains, lakes, swamps; usually associated with deciduous woods, and beaver ponds.

 

III. DIET:
 

Ducklings feed almost entirely on animal life (aquatic insects, pupa, and newly emerged imagos of midges) changing to plant life as they grow older (algae, watermeal, water shield, and duckweed). Mature birds feed heavily on acorns in season, otherwise on grains, seeds, mulberries, and wild grapes.

 

IV. LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
 

Cavity nesters in open forest, preferring "rotted out" oaks, willows, and sycamores, usually within 1/2 mile of sheltered water. In the water they are secretive and make good use of overhanging woody vegetation, remaining hidden until approached closely. Breeding occurs throughout their range with most hens breeding as yearlings. Nesting occurs anywhere from March to July. The female selects the nest cavity in a tree, usually 30 feet above the ground, although nests can be found as low as 2 feet and as high as 65 feet and are often far from water.

Ten to fifteen dull white eggs are laid. Incubation is 28 to 37 days. (Males do not help.) The hen broods her young 24 hours before she calls them from the nest site. They respond with peeping calls and immediately begin to spring upward towards the nest entrance where they pause momentarily before springing outward to the water or land, in some cases over 60 feet below. Amazingly, they land unhurt. If on land, the clutch is immediately led to water which may take several hours. Brood bonds began to break up after the fifth week. Ducklings are fully feathered and can fly at 8 to 10 weeks.

Drakes follow their mates to their former breeding areas. Wood ducks have a phenomenal ability to return to the same breeding area year after year. Occasionally "dump" nests are found with 30 - 50 eggs laid by several females. These may be abandoned, though if successfully brooded can increase production. Unmated drakes return to their natal area. Over much of the year wood ducks occur in pairs or in flocks of 4 to 15, but hundreds may gather at fall and winter roost sites.

 

V. SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS:
 

As perching ducks (Tribe Cairinini) the feet are adapted for perching, with sharp claws, as well as webbed for swimming. Flight swift and direct. Wings proportionately broader than those of other ducks, making them adept at twisting and turning as they adroitly thread their way through branches of trees.

 

VI. INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION:
 

North America's most strikingly colored duck. Hen has squealing alarm call, drake has goldfinch-like call. Other common names for wood ducks are woodie, summer duck, acorn duck, swamp duck, or squealer. To encourage nesting, provide wooden boxes in open woods or on a pole in standing water where the prospecting female can see the nest opening. Line it with sawdust since ducks do not carry nesting material.

 

VII. STATUS IN WILD:
 

Heavy hunting and habitat destruction through the early 1900s nearly brought the wood duck to extinction. Rigid hunting restrictions and habitat manipulation (creating artificial nest sites), and captive breeding has led to a rapid recovery in numbers but they are no longer common in the Central Valley. Another threat has come from the introduction of European Starlings that invade nesting cavities and replace the native birds.