Wood Duck

The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is found mostly in the lowlands of Canada and in the forest-edged lakes, ponds, marshes and swamps of the United States. They are known for their white throat and the spectacled pattern on the females head. The drake has a brightly covered body with a crest which is not always noticeable. The hen lays her eggs, up to 15 of them, in a downy nest inside a hollow of a tree or in man-made nest boxes. The incubation period takes up to six weeks and when hatched the ducklings follow the call of their mother. The Wood Duck is best known for its cry, ‘weep, weep, weep’, as it flies off quickly into the woods for protection. The Wood Duck nests in trees which makes it quite unusual and its size ranges from 43-51 cm.