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Wood Duck - Habitat
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Water, Habitat Components and
Area
Water
Water requirements for wood ducks are assumed to be met where suitable
brood-rearing and wintering habitat exist.
Interspersion of Habitat Components
In order for successful wood duck reproduction and survival to occur, all the
habitat components must be available in relative proximity to one another. Since
wood ducks are highly mobile during winter, the most critical aspect of habitat
interspersion, or the mix of different habitat types, is the proximity of
suitable brood-rearing habitat to nesting habitat in the spring. The
highest-quality nesting habitat is of little use if the nearest brood-rearing
habitat is more than a mile distant. Likewise, the best brood-rearing habitat
will not support wood duck broods if there is no nesting habitat in the
vicinity. In southern areas where wood ducks are year-round residents, the best
habitats consist of a complex of forested wetland habitats that include live
forest, green-tree reservoirs, rivers, oxbows, riparian corridors, beaver ponds,
shrub-scrub and robust emergent herbaceous wetlands.
Minimum Habitat Area
Since wood ducks are able to nest at some distance from brood-rearing
habitat, no reasonable estimate of minimum nesting habitat size exists. In
addition, no good estimates for minimum wintering habitat area are available due
to the high mobility of wintering birds. However, at least 10 acres of wetland
or other aquatic habitat in a contiguous unit, or in isolated parcels separated
by no more than 100 feet of upland, is needed in close proximity to nesting
habitat to support brood rearing. Lands outside the immediate planning area
should be considered when making the determination of minimum habitat area for
wood duck reproduction.
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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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All Rights Reserved
Last Updated:
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