Wood Duck
—Ross Feldner

The ornate beauty of this bird is breathtaking. At my first sighting of a pair of Wood Ducks by a nearby creek I was awestruck by the male’s shimmering feathers in green, violets, browns and black outlined with white. One of the most stunning birds in America, the male Wood Duck seems dressed for a fancy occasion. The female, although less colorful has a beauty all its own.
    Wood Ducks are migratory birds, moving north in the spring and south in the winter. They can be found in bottomland forests, wooded lakes, swamps, streams and rivers and, occasionally, you may spot them in a city park!
    Nesting in trees but unable to excavate their own nests, they will often use old woodpecker holes. The nests are no more than a mile from water and placed 20 to 30 feet about the ground.
    Another unique feature of Wood Ducks is their unique shape among ducks. They have a boxy, crested head, a thin neck, and a broad, long tail. They hold their head up high, sometimes bobbing it when flying.
    Landowners as well as park and refuge managers can encourage wood ducks by building wood duck nest boxes near lakes, ponds, and streams.