The Wood Duck, Aix sponsa, is one of North America’s most recognizable and colorful waterfowl species. The male exhibits striking iridescent green and chestnut plumage, while the female has a distinctive white eye-patch against a gray head. These birds are associated with wooded wetlands, swamps, and densely vegetated freshwater habitats. This preference for sheltered environments dictates their unique behaviors, including how they find food and nest.
Diving: An Escape Mechanism
Wood Ducks possess the ability to dive, but this behavior is almost exclusively a method of evasion rather than a routine part of their daily life. They are not classified as true diving ducks, which actively pursue food deep underwater. Instead, their dives are quick, shallow maneuvers used when the bird is startled or threatened by a predator. When danger approaches, a Wood Duck rapidly submerges to escape detection, often swimming underwater for a short distance before resurfacing within dense cover. Ducklings, in particular, rely on this quick submersion to hide from threats such as mink, raccoons, and large predatory fish.
Typical Foraging Methods
The primary way a Wood Duck acquires food is through dabbling, which contrasts sharply with their occasional emergency diving. As a dabbling duck, the bird feeds by tipping its body forward, submerging its head and neck while keeping its tail above the water. This allows them to forage in shallow water without fully diving. The Wood Duck is an omnivore whose diet shifts seasonally, consisting mainly of plant material and invertebrates. They consume a wide variety of seeds, aquatic vegetation, and insects, with acorns being a favorite food found floating or on the muddy bottom of flooded forests. They also forage on land, walking through forested areas to find fallen nuts, berries, and grain.
Habitat Influence on Behavior
The Wood Duck’s behaviors are linked to its preference for wooded swamps, flooded bottomland forests, and wood-fringed ponds. This environment, characterized by shallow water and plentiful vertical structure, eliminates the need for deep-diving capabilities. The unique habit of nesting in tree cavities, sometimes up to 60 feet above the ground, further influences behavior. Newly hatched ducklings must jump from the nest cavity shortly after hatching, requiring immediate adaptation to their surroundings. They must quickly learn to navigate this dense environment, making the defensive, shallow dive an essential survival tool from their first day on the water.