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Wood Ducks
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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aix
Species: sponsa
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La. anser
goose
La. forma form, shape, kind
Gr. anous foolish
La. anas duck
Gr. aix water bird
La. sponsa bride |
| A beautiful, elegant bird. Iridescent green
and purple head and crest. Two white lines, one supercilium (a strip above the eye like a
long narrow eyebrow), and one just below extending back from the eye (post-ocular).
Dark brown upperparts. Purple and green wings with a white band in the front.
White throat. Chestnut breast with white spots. White underside. Red iris and eyelids.
About 18 inches long.
Abundant especially in woodlands near water throughout most of North
America from the Hudson Bay region to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some migrate as far as
Mexico and some winter as far north as Virginia |
Makes its nests in deep cavities of decaying trees from within reach to over sixty feet
high within short distances from or even over water. Sometimes a pair occupies the same
nest for several breeding seasons.Lays around eight to twelve
ivory colored eggs which hatch after about four to five weeks incubation. |
F.C. Hennessey |
| The parents coax the young
ducklings to jump from the nest and while the male parent stands guard, the female parent
leads the ducklings to water where they learn to forage.
Young learn to fly at about to months
of age. Forages for acorns and aquatic plant seeds (wild oats and rice) and roots and
insects.
Calls out a high pitched note somewhat like zipping a long plastic zipper with
increasing speed. Also has a shorter squeak. |
Build a Duck House
The Wood Duck Box
(same as for Hooded Merganser, and Kestrel) has a 10" by 10" floor, 24" inside
ceiling, 4" wide by 3" high entrance hole located 21" above the floor and
ventilation openings. Assembled with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled
countersunk pilot holes. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks for easy access.
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Wood Duck House Plans
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If you sell houses for Wood Duck, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Hooded
Merganser, and Bufflehead and would like 50birds to link to your site,
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Duck houses should be mounted 10 feet or higher on a tree trunk, (6 to 8 feet if on a post in water), in forest
bottomlands within 100 feet of a river or a pond, further if there are no obstacles for
the ducklings trek to water. Place some wood chips on the floor. Squirrels may use this
box.
Eastern Screech Owls and Western Screech Owls may also use this nestbox.
Louis Agassiz
Fuertes
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