Common Nesting Birds

meet your neighbors

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Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)


Photo © Kris Petersen

Ducklings climbing out of nest

Photo © NestCams

Eggs

Photo © NestCams

Likely egg dumping occurrence

Photo © NestCams

Nest

Photo © NestCams

Eggs

Photo © NestCams

Recently Hatched Wood Ducks

Photo © Jerry Griffin

Male

Photo © Ryan Schain / Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © Epi Shemming / Macaulay Library

Eclipse male

Photo © Jake Dingel / Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © Larry Therrien / Macaulay Library

Male and female

Photo © Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Immature

Photo © Charlotte Farrell / Macaulay Library

Male

Photo © Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay Library

Female and chick

Photo © Gerry Hawkins / Macaulay Library

Male and female

Photo © Janis Stone / Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © Michael Warner / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Mike Andersen / Macaulay Library

Calls

© andrew aldrich / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Arthur A. Allen / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

When To Look

Source: Birds of the World

Where To Find It

Habitats

forest

lake

marsh

Substrates

Nestbox or Birdhouse

Live Tree Cavity

Dead Tree Cavity

What You'll Find

Nest Type

cavity

Chick

Precocial

Clutch Size

6
8
10
16

Nest Height

60 ft
2 ft

Nesting Statistics

Incubation Period

28-37
days

Brooding Period

1
days

Useful Hints

  • The Wood Duck nests in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to a mile away.
  • If nest boxes are placed too close together, many females lay eggs in the nests of other females.
  • The female lines the nest with down feathers she takes from her breast.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology