The wood duck, with its striking colors and crested head, is a distinctive North American waterfowl. Understanding where these ducks live provides insight into their adaptations and the specific environments that support their populations. Their preference for certain habitats is a key aspect of their biology, influencing their distribution and daily activities.
North American Range
Wood ducks are distributed across the eastern United States and parts of Canada, extending westward to the Great Plains. Populations also exist along the west coast, from British Columbia to California and parts of Mexico. Historically, their numbers declined severely in the late 19th century due to extensive habitat loss and unregulated hunting. However, conservation efforts, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the introduction of artificial nesting boxes, helped populations rebound from the 1920s onward. Today, wood ducks are widespread across much of their historical range, with their breeding range expanding into areas like the Great Plains due to the establishment of wooded riparian corridors.
Ideal Wetland Habitats
Wood ducks prefer forested wetlands, including wooded swamps, flooded forests, beaver ponds, and slow-moving rivers and creeks. These habitats offer a combination of shallow water and mature trees, providing both food sources and cover from predators. The ducks forage in these areas for a diet of aquatic plants, seeds, nuts, and invertebrates. Acorns are a primary food source, especially during fall and winter, while ducklings primarily consume insects and other small invertebrates. The presence of woody debris in these waters offers loafing sites and additional cover.
Nesting and Roosting Locations
Wood ducks nest in trees, primarily within natural cavities in mature hardwoods near water. These hollows are essential for their breeding success. If natural cavities are scarce, wood ducks use artificial nest boxes, which have become an important conservation tool since the 1930s. These boxes are placed on poles over or near water, providing a secure nesting site. Wood ducks also engage in communal roosting, gathering in sheltered wetland areas at night.
Seasonal Movements
Wood ducks exhibit partial migratory patterns, with northern populations moving south for the winter. Their breeding grounds are in the northern parts of their range, while wintering grounds are in the southern United States, including the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and parts of Mexico and Cuba. Factors such as changes in food availability, water freezing, and temperature fluctuations trigger these migrations. However, some wood duck populations in warmer southern regions are resident, meaning they do not undertake seasonal journeys and can be found year-round. The male’s migration route can vary depending on the origin of the female they pair with on the wintering grounds.