Wood Duck

À propos

One of North America's most ornate ducks; males have an iridescent green-and-purple crested head, complex face patterning, chestnut breast, and colorful bill. Females are elegantly marked in brown and grey. Nests in tree cavities along forested waterways. Recovered strongly from near-extinction after 1918 legal protection.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergure	44,1 cm	17.4 in
Poids	691,75 g	24.40 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males iridescent green and purple-crested head with white throat patches and facial stripes. Chestnut breast, buffy flanks, dark back. Red eye and bill. Females gray-brown with white eye-ring teardrop. Spectacular dimorphism.

Habitat & Range

Wooded swamps, beaver ponds, forested river margins, and tree-lined lakes in eastern and western North America. Nests in tree cavities up to 15m high. Readily uses nest boxes. Winters on wooded freshwater wetlands.

🌲 Forest 🌿 Wetland

Répartition géographique

Breeds in Eurasia; winters across tropical and southern Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia.

Diet & Feeding

Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in shallow freshwater wetlands.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportement et reproduction

Nidification

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 28-36 days. Fledging: 60 days.

Taille de la couvée

9-15

Son

Chant

Male gives a loud, rising 'jeeee' whistle; female gives a soft, nasal 'oo-eek'. One of North America's most beautiful ducks; its call matches its spectacular appearance.

Taxonomie

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Ordre	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Famille	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Aix
Espèces	Aix sponsa

Distribution

Wood Duck has been recorded in 21 countries.

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Présent Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇯🇵 Japan 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇹 Italy 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇪 Germany 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇺🇸 United States 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇸🇪 Sweden

External Databases

Foire aux questions

What does the Wood Duck eat?

Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in shallow freshwater wetlands.

Where does the Wood Duck live?

Wooded swamps, beaver ponds, forested river margins, and tree-lined lakes in eastern and western North America. Nests in tree cavities up to 15m high. Readily uses nest boxes. Winters on wooded freshwater wetlands.

Is the Wood Duck endangered?

The Wood Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Wood Duck nest?

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 28-36 days. Fledging: 60 days.

What does the Wood Duck sound like?

Male gives a loud, rising 'jeeee' whistle; female gives a soft, nasal 'oo-eek'. One of North America's most beautiful ducks; its call matches its spectacular appearance.

How big is the Wood Duck?

The Wood Duck has a wingspan of 44.1 cm, weight of 691.75 g.

What order and family does the Wood Duck belong to?

The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.