From Near Extinction to 4.6 Million Strong Wood Ducks Return

by Isabella Flores, age 7

Why give a quack about wood ducks? It is because they look cool! A wood duck is about 17 to 20 inches long, which is about the same size as a crow. The male wood duck has lots of colorful feathers: blue, brown, green, orange, red, white, and yellow. The female wood duck has a dark back and a white eye patch on a gray head. These colors help the female camouflage.

Wood ducks live near water, savannas, woodlands, wetlands, and ponds located across eastern North America. They nest in tree cavities and fallen logs.

The ducks call out to one another with various sounds. Their quacks can sound flat, rising, or simple. Their calls sound like “woo-eek” or “ter-wee.” Wood ducks lay six to 15 eggs at a time, and baby wood ducks can fly at about two months old.

The wood duck eats aquatic plants, fallen seeds of trees and shrubs, and insects. In the late 19th century, their population dropped due to excessive hunting and habitat loss. Today, their numbers have returned to about 4.6 million across North America thanks to conservation efforts. It is important that efforts continue to be made to protect these creatures to ensure their survival in the future.

[Source: National Audubon Society]