Species Spotlight: North American Wood Duck
Alex Levitskiy
Coinciding with the advent of spring, the breeding season has begun for many birds. One of the species currently laying in my collection is the stunning North American Wood Duck (Aix sponsa). As the name suggests, this species of duck is native to North America, which is a fairly large range. The population of Wood Ducks is growing, so they are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, meaning they have a relatively low risk of extinction. These ducks are common in the wild, and I have spotted Wood Ducks in our Central New York region on numerous occasions. Similarly to their status in the wild, Wood Ducks are a common duck kept by aviculturists. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as are many other native migratory species in the U.S., so one must obtain a license to own them. This perching duck is much like the Mandarin Duck, both of which are great beginner birds and tree cavity nesters. In captivity, an elevated Wood Duck style nest box is used to simulate those nesting conditions.
The male Wood Duck, a drake, is unmistakable. The head is glossy green and accented with white stripes. The breast is a chestnut and purple color, and their sides are mainly buff. The female is mainly brown with a white speckled breast. Wood Duck hens have white feathers around their eyes, this trait distinguishes them from the easy-to-confuse Mandarin Duck hens. In captivity there are also numerous color mutations of the Wood Duck. Some of those mutations that I own are the Silver Wood Duck, White Wood Duck, and Apricot Wood Duck. Overall, the North American Wood Duck is a gorgeous duck that one can never tire of looking at.
Wood Duck Drake
Silver Wood Duck Drake
Wood Duck Hen and Silver Wood Duck Drake
Silver Wood Duck Hen
Photo Credit: Alex Levitskiy
