Wood Duck
(Aix sponsa)
Habitat Requirements
GeneralWood ducks nest in woodland areas
along lakes, rivers, and vegetated wetland areas. During the winter months, wood
ducks inhabit bottomland hardwood wetlands, beaver ponds and flowages, river
oxbows, meanders and backwaters, and other inland freshwater forested wetland
areas. Habitat areas chosen by wood ducks are commonly used by other waterfowl
species such as black ducks, hooded mergansers, and ring-necked ducks.
High-quality wood duck habitat is intricately linked to preservation and
management of old growth timber along river corridors and availability of
nesting sites. Although wood duck populations have recovered, the largest threat
to their future is the continued loss of habitat. By protecting and restoring
floodplain timber, river oxbows and meanders, and other freshwater wetland and
riparian habitats, landowners can assist in the continued success of wood ducks
and other migratory waterfowl species that rely on similar habitats.
Food
Food for young birds and adults differs dramatically. The early diet of
ducklings consists largely of insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and
other high-protein animal material. After six weeks of age, the young switch to
plant foods until their diet consists of approximately 90 percent vegetative
material, primarily aquatic plants such as algae, watermeal, watershield, sago
pondweed, and duckweed. Adult wood ducks feed on a variety of nuts and fruits,
aquatic plants and seeds, and aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Insects
and aquatic invertebrates are particularly important food items of adult hens
during egg laying in spring. Acorns and other forest mast are important fall and
winter foods. While acorns are the primary winter foods, the seeds of bald
cypress, hickory, sweet gum, buttonbush, arrow-arum, bur-reed, and wild rice are
also common winter foods. Wood ducks feed primarily in shallow water areas, but
will also forage on the forest floor for seeds, acorns, and nuts.
Important wood duck food plants. The following species are known to be
important food items in the diet of wood ducks. Those species in bold print are
of particular value for their usefulness as a winter food source.
oak (acorns) hickory (nuts) elm bald cypress beech (nuts) sweet gum
ash button bush maple blackgum bur-reed rice cutgrass
arrow-arum wild rice sedge smartweeds barnyard grass nightshade
cowlily beggarticks duckweed grape St. John's-wort panic grasses
bulrush pondweed watershield waterlily
These species may be used to enhance vegetation which already exists
in and around woodland areas and aquatic habitats. Adding these species to those
currently existing will enhance food availability for wood ducks.
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