The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is a distinctive and visually striking species of waterfowl, often considered one of the most beautiful ducks in North America. The male (drake) displays an iridescent tapestry of chestnut, green, and purple. Its scientific name translates to “water bird in bridal dress.” The Wood Duck is also known by the common nickname “Carolina Duck,” in reference to the region where it was first described.
Geographic Distribution Across North America
The Wood Duck is widely distributed across southern Canada, the United States, and parts of Mexico and Cuba. The species is divided into two main populations: a larger Eastern population and a smaller, more isolated Western population. The Eastern group spans the entire Atlantic Flyway, extending from Nova Scotia and southeastern Canada down to Florida.
The Interior population covers the Mississippi Flyway and the eastern edges of the Central Flyway, including the Great Plains where its breeding range has expanded along wooded corridors. The Western population extends from southern British Columbia through Washington, Oregon, and into California’s Central Valley. Although most Wood Ducks are found in the eastern half of the continent, the Pacific population maintains a presence in forested lowlands along the Pacific coast and the Rocky Mountain states.
Essential Habitat Requirements
Wood Ducks require a specific combination of aquatic and terrestrial features, making them dependent on mature, forested wetlands. They seek out areas with still or slow-moving freshwater, such as wooded swamps, bottomland forests, and riparian zones along rivers and creeks. Ideal locations include beaver ponds and oxbow lakes, which provide a balance of open water and dense vegetative cover.
Surrounding vegetation provides overhead concealment and protection from predators, often requiring a ratio of 50 to 75 percent cover to 25 to 50 percent open water. This cover is made up of shrubs, downed trees, and emergent plants like smartweed and duckweed. Wood Ducks forage on land, especially for high-energy foods like acorns in autumn, but they remain closely tied to the water for safety and feeding on aquatic invertebrates and plants.
Seasonal Migration Patterns
The location of Wood Ducks shifts seasonally, as northern populations undertake migrations between breeding and wintering grounds. Their breeding range extends across much of the United States and southern Canada; they arrive in the spring, generally between March and early May. Fall migration begins in late September, with peak movements occurring in October and November as birds travel south to avoid frozen northern waters.
The primary wintering grounds are located across the southern United States, particularly along the Gulf Coast and the southern states of the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. Some birds migrate as far south as parts of Mexico and Cuba. Wood Ducks residing in the most southern latitudes are often non-migratory and remain year-round residents where the climate is mild and water bodies do not freeze.
Nesting Locations and Behavior
Reproduction is tied to the availability of specific micro-locations, as Wood Ducks are one of the few duck species that nest in cavities. They do not excavate their own nests, relying instead on natural tree hollows (often formed by rot where a branch has broken off) or abandoned woodpecker holes. These cavities are found in large, mature trees within a mile of water, though closer proximity is preferred.
The nest cavity can be located anywhere from a few feet to nearly 60 feet high, with a preference for higher sites. Due to the scarcity of natural hollows, the species readily uses human-provided nest boxes placed near wetlands to increase breeding success. Shortly after hatching, the precocial ducklings use the sharp claws on their webbed feet to climb the inside of the cavity and then jump to the ground, following the female to the nearest body of water.