Wood duck

A male & Female woodduck on the water.
Scientific Name:Aix sponsa
Geographical Range: North America
Habitat: Wetlands / Aquatic habitat.
Diet in the Wild: Herbivores, 90% of their food is from plants.
Conservation Status: Not protected.
Location in the Zoo: Waterfowl Exhibits


Physical Description:Woodducks are intermediate in size between the mainland and the blue-winged teal; males weigh on the average 680g and the females weigh about 460g. From a distance, the male wood duck on the water appears as a dark-bodied, dark breasted, light-flanked duck with a striped crested head and a light-coloured throat. A white eye-ring, light coloured throat and fine crest distinguish the female from the both the male wood duck and females of other species.  Social Organization:
 Family Groups, Communities? 
Special Adaptations:The most prominent adaptation of the wood duck, is its ability of migration. after a long winter in the relatively frost-free southern united state, woodduck migrate north to their canadian breeding ground, arriving there by april. also wood duck nest in trees preferred nesting sites are holes in hollow trunks or large branches of trees.
                                              Male Wood Duck
(A white eye-ring, light coloured throat and fine crest distinguish the female from the both the male wood duck and females of other species. )
Reproductive Behavior: Most woodduck hens breed as yearling; second-year breeders may reflect delayed sexual maturity as a result of the late hatching. Pairing for breeding begins as early as late October and continues through February, sometimes even into early spring. Wood ducks remain with their mates longer than most ducks, usually until the eggs are pipped. Normal clutch size is 6-10 eggs.
Page Author:
Moses C. Azubuike 
moscolee4@yahoo.com

Sources and Links:
http://www.nenature.com/WoodDuck.htm
          ( Nature of new England) 
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/1999/
woodduck/woodduck.htm

           ( Northern prairie wildlife research centre ). 
http://www.lccb.org/current_projects.htm
            (louisa county conservation board)
http://home.grics.net/~forbes/page3.html
            (illinois Natural history survey.)