Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Colorful Wood Ducks

By: Tom Berg

Wood ducks are our most colorful native duck species – and they are very beautiful indeed. Male wood ducks, in particular, are truly unforgettable. They have hints of iridescent green and brown on their head, along with bold black and white markings. Their bill is pinkish red and their eyes are bright red. Their chest is a rich chestnut brown color, and their sides are a light tan color. Female wood ducks are much more drab than the males, but that is common in most bird species.

Although woodies (as they are affectionately called) are common throughout the eastern United States, they are scarce out west where it is very dry. Obviously, they need water, just like all ducks! They are also found along the west coast from California all the way north to Washington state.

Wood ducks prefer freshwater marshes, ponds and streams where there are lots of trees and vegetation.  Small lakes and ponds surrounded by bottomland forests is prime habitat for wood ducks. They eat all kinds of seeds and fruits, such as raspberries, wild cherries, acorns, and other nuts and seeds from trees.  They also eat plenty of plant matter, like duckweed, water lilies and wild rice. Of course, insects like ants, beetles and caterpillars are also important food items.

One reason these birds are called wood ducks is because their favorite nesting sites are inside the cavities of trees. Many of these nesting sites are in dead trees, but they are happy to utilize holes in live trees, too. Some people build wooden nest boxes for wood ducks and they will use them, too. Nest trees are normally located near or in the water (although not always), so the baby ducklings can jump out and land in the water.

Adult wood ducks search for mates during the winter and start pairing up in January. By the spring nesting season, the adults have already chosen a mate and they are ready to find a nest cavity. Wood ducks incubate their clutch of eggs for four or five weeks, and the babies leave the nest after just one day.  Wood ducks are amazing birds!

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