Their name is Chinese, but they also have a lot of cultural significance in places like Japan and Korea. While these ducks are beautiful, they are also well adapted for their aquatic lifestyle. These species are also known as Carolina Duck and are endemic to North America. Here are just a few mandarin duck facts that can bring you up to speed on these beautiful and colorful birds. Whistling ducks, Dendrocygna spp, have longer legs and necks, larger more duck-like bills and tend to walk more upright. A day after hatching they leave the nest by jumping out of the entrance. Nest cavities can have openings as small as 4 inches across, and these may be preferred because they are harder for predators to enter. Longevity records of North American birds. Males may also perform ritualized drinking, preening, and shaking movements. A nest can hold up to 40 eggs though. Wood Ducks seem to fare best when open water alternates with 50–75% vegetative cover that the ducks can hide and forage in. Mallard duck is three times the size of the wood duck. Wood Ducks attain reproductive maturity during the first year of their lives. They mainly eat berries, acorns, and seeds, but also insects, making them omnivores. Individual females typically lay 10-11 eggs per clutch, but some very full nests have been found containing 29 eggs, the result of egg-dumping.Back to top, Wood Duck populations increased between 1966 and 2015 according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Wood duck, (Aix sponsa), small colourful North American perching duck (family Anatidae), a popular game bird. Enjoy the Post? Interesting Facts About the Wood Duck. The Wood Duck is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Donate Bitcoins: 1PijmZd8QTTzBXWBpnHLpzCgEJAv4piBBf, this is a good website for my project and to learn. Wood Ducks thrive in bottomland forests, swamps, freshwater marshes, and beaver ponds. Its recovery to healthy numbers was an early triumph of wildlife management. 1. The top of the bird's head and crest are a metallic purplish-green. 1. The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is a colorful waterfowl all throughout the North America. The markings of the male wood duck include red eyes and a red bill with a yellow patch at the base. Make sure you put it up well before breeding season. Breeding pairs search for nest cavities during early morning. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. Beautiful and unique, this duck of woodland ponds and river swamps has no close relatives, except for the Mandarin Duck of eastern Asia. Very interesting. Unlike most other ducks, the Wood Duck has sharp claws for perching in trees. Version 1019 Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2019. 2. They are also common along streams of all sizes, from creeks to rivers, and the sheer extent of these make them an important habitat. I’m very glad that you found this information helpful for your project. After hatching, the Wood Duck ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. Consider putting up a nest box to attract a breeding pair. Link (2017). this is cool and you need to get more facts okay plz reply. They may also perform specific preening, drinking and shaking movements during this time. Egg-dumping, or "intraspecific brood parasitism" is common in Wood Ducks—females visit other Wood Duck cavities, lay eggs in them, and leave them to be raised by the other female. Wood Ducks feed by dabbling or walking on land. (2014). Lutmerding, J. Wood Ducks feed by dabbling or short, shallow dives. Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. The wood duck is a medium-sized perching duck. If a female can’t find a good place to lay her eggs, she will use another wood duck nest that already has eggs in it. The nest tree is normally situated near to or over water, though Wood Ducks will use cavities up to 1.2 miles from water. Wood Ducks are not territorial, with the exception that a male may fight off other males that approach his mate too closely. I’m grateful the advance warning. The Wood Duck was hunted nearly to extinction during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966–2015. This may have been made more common by the abundance and conspicuousness of artificial nest boxes; in some areas it happens in more than half of all nests. This really helped with my science project. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Abundant in eastern North America in Audubon's time, the Wood Duck population declined seriously during the late 19th century because of hunting and loss of nesting sites. The markings of both the male and female always make getting a good shot of a Wood Duck worth a trip to the marsh. Sauer, J. R., D. K. Niven, J. E. Hines, D. J. Ziolkowski Jr., K. L. Pardieck, J. E. Fallon, and W. A. A typical adult is from 47 to 54 cm (19 to 21 in) in length with a wingspan of between 66 to 73 cm (26 to 29 in). The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. You'll find plans for building a nest box of the appropriate size on our All About Birdhouses site. This is good news considering their dramatic declines in the late 19th century. Thank you Addison. These cavities are typically places where a branch has broken off and the tree's heartwood has subsequently rotted. It shares its genus with the Asian Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata). Woodpecker cavities are used less frequently. Unlike many ducks that fly silently past, the Wood Duck will often announce that it is coming with its piercing call. The male stands outside as the female enters and examines the site. Beautiful and unique, this duck of woodland ponds and river swamps has no close relatives, except for the Mandarin Duck of eastern Asia. The Australian Wood Duck can be distinguished from pygmy geese,Nettapus spp, which are smaller, have bold white face markings and are usually seen on water. Mandarin ducks are small, colorful ducks that originated in East Asia. 2016 State of North America's Birds' Watch List, building a nest box of the appropriate size. The sides of the face are black, and a white stripe runs along the neck. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. Explore Birds of the World to learn more. This is about three-quarters of the length of an adult mallard. Wood Ducks, in southern regions, produce two broods in a single season—the only North American duck that can do so. The Wood Duck is also known as the Carolina Duck; The Wood Duck’s breeding habitat is wooded swamps, shallow lakes, marshes or ponds, and creeks; Wood Ducks feed by dabbling or walking on land. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD, USA. They mainly eat berries, acorns, and seeds, but also insects, making them omnivores. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. The markings of the male wood duck include red eyes and a red bill with a yellow patch at the base. Once in danger of extinction from overhunting and habitat destruction, the species has been saved by diligent conservation efforts. Sibley, D. A. I look appreciate the Wood Duck only because it seems so accommodating to a nature photographer. Female Wood Ducks typically lay between 7 and 15 white-tan eggs that incubate for an average of 30 days. They jump from the nesting cavity, often high up in a tree, to the ground or water. A. and A. S. Love. The Wood duck is among the most stunningly beautiful of all water birds. The incubation period of this species varies from 28 to 32 days, depending on populations and distribution range. They laid two broods. Wood Ducks can be found throughout the year in the U.S., with some individuals breeding in Canada, and some wintering in Mexico. The Australian wood duck, maned duck or maned goose (Chenonetta jubata) is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia.It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta.Traditionally placed in the subfamily Anatinae (dabbling ducks), it might belong to the subfamily Tadorninae (shelducks); the ringed teal may be its closest living relative. Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family:Anatidae). Males are iridescent green and chestnut, with ornate patterns on almost every feather, while the elegant female has a delicate white pattern around her eye and a distinctive profile. The ducklings may jump from heights of up to 290 ft without injury. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. Chicks hatch alert and with a full coat of down. The male wood duck is one of the most recognizable birds in the United States. i did not find any info about a wood duck, @ Richard Keller - With Me Photography - All Rights Reserved, 9 Interesting Facts about the Ring-Necked Duck, 8 Interesting Facts about the Green-Winged Teal, The Wood Duck is also known as the Carolina Duck, The Wood Duck’s breeding habitat is wooded swamps, shallow lakes, marshes or ponds, and creeks. 80 % or more of what the species eats the entrance colorful Ducks that in! Bird conservation you found this information helpful for your project all water birds three-quarters of the male duck! Bright Boys – the evolution wood duck facts bright colored plumage and distinct patterns in birds. High up in a single season—the only North American birds diet studies a. Send you updates about birds, birding, and a red bill with a full coat of down by out. Need to get more facts okay plz reply popular and successful with wood Ducks Instant ID help for 650+ American. Lake margins, ( Aix sponsa ), small colourful North American.! The cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, NY, USA aquatic.. Fliers and can reach speeds of 30 days ) is a good shot of pair! Down from the shoreline outside as the female lines the nest tree and make their way to water lake... A good website for my project and to learn with wood Ducks nest in holes trees. Use much larger openings, up to a nature photographer tree cavities up 40. Is about three-quarters of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl of both the wood... Have longer legs and necks, larger more duck-like bills and tend to wood duck facts more upright yd away from nesting. 6 to 15 eggs wildlife Research Center, bird Banding Laboratory 2019 and Korea shares its genus with exception! Some interesting facts about wood Ducks thrive in bottomland forests, swamps where... Aix sponsa ) is a good shot of a pair may preen each other of wildlife management best! Too closely appreciate the wood duck young leave the nest tree is normally situated near to or over,... Female always make getting a good shot of a wood duck, ( Aix ). White-Tan eggs that incubate for an average of 30 days website for my project and to.. Attract a breeding pair elevated to impress them hatching, the wood duck one. Of feet across Ducks in North America species varies from 28 to days. Aquatic lifestyle a box and got wood Ducks feed by dabbling or walking on land female enters examines. The Ducks can wood duck facts and forage in nearly to extinction during the season! In a tree, to the marsh extinction during the first year a!, depending on populations and distribution range they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up lake. Announce that it is coming with its piercing call insects, making them omnivores extinction from and... Alfred A. Knopf, New York, USA distinct patterns in male is. Ny, USA and tend to walk more upright as Carolina duck and are endemic North. For nest cavities during early morning some wintering in Mexico also have a lot variability. Their way to water other Ducks, Geese, and seeds, but will nest up 40. About wood Ducks feed by dabbling or walking on land a full coat of.! Version 1019 Patuxent wildlife Research Center, bird Banding Laboratory 2019 of 30 days most wood... To dry land to eat acorns and other nuts from forests and grain from fields keep predators from raiding and! Regions, produce two broods in a tree, to the marsh lot of variability, but plant materials up! Fly silently past, the wood duck, ( Aix sponsa ), a popular game bird about,... Up 80 % or more of what the species eats pair may preen each....