Aix sponsa

Unlike most waterfowl, this beautiful duck is at home perching in trees, and it nests in cavities in trees or in nest boxes. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, wood duck populations declined dramatically due to over-hunting, wetland drainage, and deforestation. Wetland protection, regulation of hunting, and nest box programs have allowed a dramatic recovery of the species.
Photo Credit: Juan Rubiano
Aix sponsa
Common Name: wood duck
Animal Guild: Bird
Class > Order > Family: Aves > Anseriformes > Anatidae
What does the species look like? The wood duck is a medium-sized duck with a prominent crest and relatively small bill. Male breeding plumage is strikingly colorful. The black and iridescent green of the head is highlighted by streaks of white along the crest, throat, and cheek, and further punctuated by the red eyes and base of the bill; the breast is burgundy, the flanks golden, and the back purplish black. Nonbreeding males, all females and juveniles have a distinctive white eye patch, a grayish back, and brown flanks. In flight, the wood duck’s broad wings, wedge-shaped tail, and irregular head bob are distinctive. The Mandarin duck is similar in appearance but not native to the U.S. and seen only as an escaped captive.
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AL, AR, AZ, BC, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MB, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NB, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NL, NM, NS, NV, NY, OH, OK, ON, OR, PA, PE, QC, RI, SC, SD, SK, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Distribution

The breeding range extends across southern Canada. In the eastern United States, wood ducks breed from the central Great Plains to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In the western United States, they breed along the Pacific coast and in the northern intermountain area. This species winters in all but the northern-most part of this range, also in the desert Southwest, northern Mexico ,and Cuba.

The wood duck uses a wide range of habitat types including flowing and still water, and forested and herbaceous wetlands. Still water is favored as is vegetative cover, especially emergent plants and overhanging brush. Nesting requires trees generally over 12 inches in diameter to support an appropriate cavity. They will also nest in nest boxes.
General Phenology and Life History Wood Ducks overwinter as far north as water remains open. Migratory populations begin returning to breeding ranges in February in Missouri, but not until April in Michigan’s upper peninsula. In northern areas, fall migration begins in mid-September and continues to mid-November and migration is later at lower latitudes. In Alabama, the beginning of fall migration averages 9 November, and wood ducks have left Missouri by mid-December. Nesting is initiated between January in the south and May in the north. Egg-laying takes 10-12 days, incubation lasts 25-35 days, and young leave the nest the morning after hatching. Juveniles can fly by 8-10 weeks. The wood duck is the only North American duck that regularly produces 2 broods in 1 breeding season; double brooding is more common at southern latitudes than in the north.
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see/hear...?
Activity Live individuals
One or more individuals are seen or heard moving about or at rest.
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Feeding
One or more individuals are seen feeding or foraging. If possible, record the name of the species or substance being eaten or describe it in the comments field.

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Calls or song
One or more individuals are heard calling or singing.

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Territorial individuals
One or more individuals are seen or heard defending a territory. This may be indicated by calls or song used as part of a territorial proclamation, chasing of an individual of the same species from a breeding area (but do not confuse this with courtship behavior, which in some species may involve chasing), or calls or displays directed at individuals of the same or a different species to defend a feeding area.

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Reproduction Courtship
A male and female are seen near one another and are engaged in courtship behavior. Do not include male displays in the absence of a female.

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Mating
A male and female are seen coupled in a mating position, usually with the male on top of the female.

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Nest building
One or more adults are seen constructing a nest or carrying nesting material.

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Occupied nest
One or more adults are seen sitting on a nest, entering or leaving a nest site under circumstances indicating its use for nesting (including nest defense behavior), or live eggs or nestlings are seen in a nest.

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Development Downy young
One or more young are seen covered with fluffy down feathers and not yet any smooth contour feathers.

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Partially-fledged young
One or more young are seen with a mix of fluffy down and smooth contour feathers, and often have an unkempt or ragged appearance.

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Fledged young
One or more young are seen covered with smooth contour feathers and no longer any fluffy, natal down feathers. This includes young incapable of sustained flight and young which are still dependent on adults.

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Dead individuals
One or more dead individuals are seen.

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Dead nestlings or fledglings
One ore more dead nestlings or young are seen.

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Method Individuals at a feeding station
One or more individuals are seen visiting a feeder, feeding station, or food placed by a person.

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What do these phenophases look like?

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ITIS information for wood duck (ITIS TSN: 175122 )