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Wood Duck - Habitat Requirements
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Habitat Requirements
GeneralWood ducks nest in woodland areas
along lakes, rivers, and vegetated wetland areas. During the winter months, wood
ducks inhabit bottomland hardwood wetlands, beaver ponds and flowages, river
oxbows, meanders and backwaters, and other inland freshwater forested wetland
areas. Habitat areas chosen by wood ducks are commonly used by other waterfowl
species such as black ducks, hooded mergansers, and ring-necked ducks.
High-quality wood duck habitat is intricately linked to preservation and
management of old growth timber along river corridors and availability of
nesting sites. Although wood duck populations have recovered, the largest threat
to their future is the continued loss of habitat. By protecting and restoring
floodplain timber, river oxbows and meanders, and other freshwater wetland and
riparian habitats, landowners can assist in the continued success of wood ducks
and other migratory waterfowl species that rely on similar habitats.
Food
Food for young birds and adults differs dramatically. The early diet of
ducklings consists largely of insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and
other high-protein animal material. After six weeks of age, the young switch to
plant foods until their diet consists of approximately 90 percent vegetative
material, primarily aquatic plants such as algae, watermeal, watershield, sago
pondweed, and duckweed. Adult wood ducks feed on a variety of nuts and fruits,
aquatic plants and seeds, and aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Insects
and aquatic invertebrates are particularly important food items of adult hens
during egg laying in spring. Acorns and other forest mast are important fall and
winter foods. While acorns are the primary winter foods, the seeds of bald
cypress, hickory, sweet gum, buttonbush, arrow-arum, bur-reed, and wild rice are
also common winter foods. Wood ducks feed primarily in shallow water areas, but
will also forage on the forest floor for seeds, acorns, and nuts.
Important wood duck food plants. The following species are known to be
important food items in the diet of wood ducks. Those species in bold print are
of particular value for their usefulness as a winter food source.
oak (acorns) hickory (nuts) elm bald cypress beech (nuts) sweet gum
ash button bush maple blackgum bur-reed rice cutgrass
arrow-arum wild rice sedge smartweeds barnyard grass nightshade
cowlily beggarticks duckweed grape St. John's-wort panic grasses
bulrush pondweed watershield waterlily
These species may be used to enhance vegetation which already exists
in and around woodland areas and aquatic habitats. Adding these species to those
currently existing will enhance food availability for wood ducks.
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Heartwood Wood Duck Joy Box Birdhouse
John James Audubon did some of his most famous bird drawings as he explored on foot along the Natchez Trace, which happens to be located near Star, Mississippi, where we design and make all our Heartwood homes. While birding has come a long way since Audubon's time, today with our four-season nesting boxes and basic homes, you don't need to go to anywhere to enjoy all manner of wonderful bird life flocking to your door. Discreet complements to any landscape, these hardy havens are convenient, long lasting and beautiful-the picture perfect start to your life in birding!
Season after season, this delightful nesting box is a joy to behold and a breeze to maintain thanks to easy twist latch and slide-front panel that also inverts for winter roosting. So easy to use, so easy to love, it turns birding into child's play! Rugged construction features 13/16" solid cypress and headed ring shank stainless steel nails. Dimensions: 11" x 12" x 24 1/2"; 4" hole
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Coveside Bufflehead Duck House
The Bufflehead, with its striking white sides and
white patch on its head, is smaller than most cavity nesting
ducks.Dependent on nest boxes, this house is ideal due to the scarcity of holes
excavated by a large woodpecker or flicker. RANGE: Breeds in Alaska east to
western Quebec, and south in mountains to Washington and Montana. Winters in
southern U.S., south to Mexico, Gulf Coast and northern Florida. HABITAT:
Nests on wooded lakes and ponds; winters mainly on salt bays and
estuaries. (17-3/4"h x 9-1/4"w x 11"d)
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Coveside Common Merganser Duck House
This
house provides a perfect nest box for mergansers that normally nest in tree
cavities. Positioning a house on a pole in the open water
provides extra protection from predators. RANGE: Breeds
across Canada from eastern Alaska, Manitoba and Newfoundland south in mountains
to California, northern New Mexico, Great Lakes and northern New England.
Winters south to northern Mexico and Georgia; also in
Eurasia. HABITAT: Breeds on wooded rivers and ponds; winters
mainly on lakes and rivers, occasionally on salt water. (24-1/4"h x 11"w x 13"d)
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Coveside Small Wood Duck House
"Dump
nesting" occurs when a number of females lay eggs in a single house, which
sometimes results in clutches with over 70 eggs.
Mississippi State University did a study of Wood Ducks in
an effort to reduce this problem. A smaller nest box was designed and "dump
nesting" was reduced. Although fewer ducklings are fledged from each box, the
survival rate is improved and the cost per fledgling is less. This box comes
with a wire ladder and nesting chips, and the front opens for observation and
cleaning. RANGE: Breeds from British Columbia south to
California, and from Montana east to Nova Scotia, and south to Texas and
Florida; absent from Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. Winters near Pacific
Coast north to Washington, and to New Jersey in East, rarely further
north. HABITAT: Nests beside wooded rivers and ponds. Visits
freshwater marshes in late summer and fall. (17"h
x 7-1/2"w x 15"d)
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Coveside Wood Hooded Merganser Duck House
Coveside's Wood Duck House opens two ways for
observation and cleaning, and has an internal ladder for the duckings to climb
out. Mother calls ducklings to the protection of the open
water at age one day. RANGE: Breeds from British Columbia
south to California, and from Montana east to Nova Scotia, and south to Texas
and Florida; absent from Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. Winters near Pacific
Coast north to Washington, and to New Jersey in East, rarely further north.
HABITAT: Nests beside wooded rivers and ponds. Visits
freshwater marshes in late summer and fall. (24-1/4"h x 11"w x 15"d)
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Woodside Gardens
The Registry of Nature Habitats
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Last Updated:
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