The strikingly beautiful Wood Duck (Aix sponda) is medium size (13 inches with 28 inch wingspan) and is found in open water and wetlands. The adult male is unmistakable with his iridescent green head with slicked-back crest, red bill, red eye, chestnut breast and neck, bronze sides, black back and tail. The chin and neck are white with lines extending onto the cheeks and the side of the head.

The female Wood Duck is duller, has a gray bill, white face patches and throat, brownish gray head and neck, brownish gray breast with white and a dark brown back.

Depending upon its location, these ducks begin nesting from February through April. This is a cavity nester and will use man-made nest boxes. The nest is lined with down and wood chips. Anywhere from 6 to 15 eggs are laid. Female Wood Ducks will lay their eggs in other nests, so the egg count could go up to as many as 50 eggs. The incubation period is about 30 days. The babies fledge in about 56 to 70 days. There is generally one brood but sometimes there will be two in the south.

Wood ducks feed on acorns primarily, but also seeds from plants such as cypress and hickory and green plant matter. They will also eat insects and aquatic invertebrates.

---

Class: Aves | Order: Anseriformes | Family: Anatidae | Species: Aix sponda

---

Visit our sponsor's site, Jeannie's Cottage LLC for the Wood Duck ornament shown above and other Wood Duck plush toys and gifts.