Needs from its habitat:
Food
Nesting Site
Description:
| The wood duck is about 18 inches long. Both adults have a crested head, white belly, and a white line at the
back of the wing . The head of the male is green, blue, and purple, with two white lines that run parallel to each other from
the base of the bill and behind the eye to the back of the head. In contrast, the female is gray-brown overall, with white eye rings
and a white throat and chin.
Diet:
Wood ducks mostly eat acorns from the water or the ground. They may also eat seed crops from plants such as cypress, hickory,
and buttonbush.
Life Cycle:
The wood duck nests in March or April, using a natural or manmade cavity for a nest. They choose cavities close to
water and about 30 feet above the ground. They line their nests with woodchips and down. The female lays 10-15 eggs and
warms them for about a month. When the ducklings hatch, the mother takes care of them for two months.
Range:
The woodduck can be found all along the eastern coast of the United States, but will migrate to warmer areas in the winter.
In Georgia, the mild temperatures allow the wood duck to spend its whole life in one habitat.
Dangers:
Wood ducks are hurt when swamps are drained and forests are cleared and they lose their habitats. Development can also
lead to increased run-off water which floods the swamps and kills the oak trees which provide food for the ducks.
