Wood duck
Wood duck Temporal range:
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Male (above) and female wood ducks, both at the Wissahickon Creek, Philadelphia. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Anseriformes |
Family: | Anatidae |
Genus: | Aix |
Species: | A. sponsa
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Binomial name | |
Aix sponsa | |
Range of A. sponsa Breeding range Year-round range Wintering range
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Synonyms | |
Anas sponsa (Linnaeus, 1758)Lampronessa sponsa |
The wood duck or Carolina duck (Aix sponsa) is a species of
Description
The wood duck is a medium-sized perching duck. A typical adult is from 47 to 54 cm (19 to 21 in) in length with a wingspan of between 66 and 73 cm (26 and 29 in). The wood duck's weight ranges from 454–862 grams (16.0–30.4 oz).[4] This is about three-quarters the length of an adult mallard. It shares its genus with the Asian mandarin duck (Aix galericulata).[2]
The adult male has stunning multicolored iridescent plumage and red eyes, with a distinctive white flare down the neck. The female, less colorful, has a white eye-ring and a whitish throat. Both adults have crested heads. The speculum is iridescent blue-green with a white border on the trailing edge.[5]
The male's call is a rising whistle, jeeeeee; the females utter a drawn-out, rising squeal, do weep do weep, when flushed, and a sharp cr-r-ek, cr-e-ek for an alarm call.[6]
Behavior
Their breeding habitat is wooded
Females typically lay seven to fifteen eggs which
The day after they hatch, the
Wood ducks feed by
Distribution
The birds are year-round residents in parts of its southern range, but the northern populations migrate south for the winter.[13][14] They overwinter in the southern United States near the Atlantic Coast. 75% of the wood ducks in the Pacific Flyway are non-migratory.[14] Due to their attractive plumage, they are also popular in waterfowl collections and as such are frequently recorded in Great Britain as escapees—populations have become temporarily established in Surrey in the past, but are not considered to be self-sustaining in the fashion of the closely related mandarin duck.[citation needed] Along with the mandarin duck, the wood duck is considered an invasive species in England and Wales, and it is illegal to release them into the wild.[15] Given its native distribution, the species is also a potential natural vagrant to Western Europe and there have been records in areas such as Cornwall, Scotland and the Isles of Scilly, which some observers consider may relate to wild birds; however, given the wood duck's popularity in captivity, it would be extremely difficult to prove their provenance.[citation needed] There is a small feral population in Dublin.[citation needed]
Conservation
The population of the wood duck was in serious decline in the late 19th century as a result of severe
Landowners as well as park and refuge managers can encourage wood ducks by building wood duck nest boxes near lakes, ponds, and streams. Fulda, Minnesota, has adopted the wood duck as an unofficial mascot, and a large number of nest boxes can be found in the area.[citation needed]
Expanding North American beaver (Castor canadensis) populations throughout the wood duck's range have also helped the population rebound as beavers create an ideal forested wetland habitat for wood ducks.[14]
The population of the wood duck has increased a great deal in the last several years. The increase has been due to the work of many people constructing wood duck boxes and conserving vital habitat for the wood ducks to breed. During the open waterfowl season, U.S. hunters have been allowed to take only two wood ducks per day in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. However, for the 2008–2009 season, the limit was raised to three. The wood duck limit remains at two in the Central Flyway and at seven in the Pacific Flyway. It is the second most commonly hunted duck in North America, after the mallard.[citation needed]
In popular culture
In 2013, the Royal Canadian Mint created two coins to commemorate the wood duck. The two coins are each part of a three coin set to help promote Ducks Unlimited Canada as well as celebrate its 75th anniversary.[18]
Gallery
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Duckling
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A breeding pair
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Close up of the drake's head
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Drake in profile
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Male ineclipse plumage
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A female at Yellow Lake in Washington state
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A female swimming
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Lifting off from the water surface
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Taking off from ice
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Male in flight profile
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A male bird walking
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Male grooming himself
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Wood duck drake in New York
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Wood duck in Toronto
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drake in profile, Chicago
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Wood Duck". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ISBN 978-1-59714-062-1.
- ^ "Wood Duck Identification". All About Birds, TheCornellLab of Ornithology. Cornell University. 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- ^ Gough, G.A.; Sauer, J.R.; Iliff, M. (1998). "Wood duck Aix sponsa". Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. Version 97.1. Laurel, Maryland: Eastern Ecological Science Center. Retrieved 20 February 2023 – via U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ a b c "Wood Duck". Ducks Unlimited Canada. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ISBN 9781609386955.
- ^ a b c "Wood Duck Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo". lpzoo.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015.
- ^ "Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Dump-Nests". USGS. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 27 February 2013.
- ^ a b Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet (PDF) (Report). USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- ISBN 0-307-37002-X.
- ^ Morris, Ron (16 April 2021) [Originally published 15 February 2013]. "Birds use different methods to eat". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "Wood Duck". Hinterland's Who's Who. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ a b c "Wood Duck". BirdWeb: The Birds of Washington State. Seattle Audubon Society. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981
- .
- JSTOR 3782956.
- ^ "Royal Canadian Mint Coins Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Ducks Unlimited Canada While Honouring Other Icons of Canadian Nature, Culture And History". Mint.ca. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
External links
- Wood Duck Society
- BirdLife species factsheet for Aix sponsa
- "Wood Duck media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Wood duck photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)