wood duck (Aix sponsa)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 13.5 inches Wingspan: 28 inches

• A medium-sized duck with a long crest on head

• Long-winged and long-tailed

• Blue-green speculum with white rear border

Adult male alternate:

• Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer

• Red bill

• Red eye

• Green head

• Striking white stripes about face and crest with a large white throat            patch and "fingerlike" extensions onto cheek and neck

• Chestnut breast and neck with vertical white stripe at lower margin

• Golden flanks bordered above by a white flank stripe

• White belly

• Iridescent dark green-blue back and wings

Adult male basic:

• In basic plumage, the male resembles the female, but often retains the distinctive neck patch and red bill

Adult female:

• Gray bill

• White teardrop shaped patch around eye

• White throat

• Gray-brown head and neck

• Gray-brown breast stippled with white and fading to a white belly

• Dark brown back

Juvenal plumage:

• Gray bill

• Female similar to adult female

• Males similar to adult females, but with white neck patch

Similar species:

Adult male is unmistakable. Female, immature and eclipse males are
nondescript, but distinctive in face pattern, shape and speculum pattern.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: N/A
Breeding Habitat: Wetland-open water
Nest Location: N/A
Nest Type: Cavity
Clutch Size: 8-15
Length of Incubation: 28-37 days
Days to Fledge: 56-70
Number of Broods: 1, occasionally 2, especially in south
Diet: Primarily seeds, fruit, nuts, green plant matter; lesser quantities
   of insects, aquatic invertebrates

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May C
      Su - Summer: June, July, August R
      Fall: September, October, November R

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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