Wood Ducks in Mississippi

Wood ducks are one of three migratory waterfowl that nest regularly in Mississippi. Unlike most other ducks, they build nests in hollow trees. They often perch in trees, and they are one of the most beautiful and colorful birds in North America. Along with the mallard, wood ducks are some of the most abundant ducks in Mississippi, and they make up a large percentage of waterfowl bagged in Mississippi each year. They also are excellent table fare.

Description and Identification

The male "woodie" is easily recognized by his white throat and chin strap and his bright green and purple feathers. The female, like most female ducks, is brownish; she has a white throat patch and a prominent, white eye-ring. Male and female wood ducks have well-defined head crests and long, dark, square tails that are marks of identification in flight. Woodies increase from 1 ounce to 1 pound in 6 weeks and generally weigh about 1½ pounds when mature.

They are known as "the bird of the shadows" because of the heavy cover they require. Their large eyes allow them to see better than most other birds.

Habitat

Wood ducks require several types of habitat including nesting, rearing, and feeding. They normally nest in natural cavities, usually within one-half mile of a suitable water area. The closer the nest is to water the better, but the nest may be as far as 4 to 5 miles from where the female normally feeds and rests.

Suitable nest cavities, at a minimum, must provide room for the hen to incubate her eggs easily. The cavity entrance can vary from 5 to 70 feet above the ground.

Good brood-rearing habitat may consist of water, heavy vegetation, and low-hanging bushes. This combination produces an abundance of insects and vegetable matter to feed the ducklings. It also provides protective cover for young ducklings.

Feeding areas vary from flooded bottomland hardwoods with acorns and other hard-mast production to marshy areas that provide native aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation and seed production.

Life History

Although wood ducks prefer nesting in cavities near an isolated lake or stream in wooded areas, they will readily nest in man-made boxes. These artificial nesting boxes and protection from overharvest are main factors contributing to population increases.

The female wood duck does not build a nest but nests atop decayed wood in the bottom of the cavity. She lays one egg each day, usually in the early morning. When she leaves her nest, she covers the eggs with the loose material in the bottom of the nest. Later in the egg-laying cycle, she adds down plucked from her breast to the nest each day until she has finished laying.

Generally, she lays 5 to 19 small, round, dull-white eggs. The average number is 15; however, as many as 70 eggs, several layers deep, have been found in the nests of wood ducks. The large number of eggs occurs when more than one female lays in the same nest. This is called a "dump" nest and is the result of having more breeding birds than nesting cavities.

The eggs hatch in 27 to 30 days; some 24 hours after hatching, the female calls to her young from the ground. The downy young ducks use their sharp claws and hooked nail at the tip of the bill to climb out of the nest, and then they jump to the ground or water. The nestlings are so light they literally float to the surface without being injured. The female gathers her brood together and leads them to the nearest water. They remain with her until they can fly, which is about 8 weeks later.

In Mississippi nesting starts in February and continues until it peaks in April or May. Much of the late nesting is caused by re-nesting females whose nests are destroyed by predators.

 Molt

The male wood duck leaves the female before the eggs hatch and joins other males in secluded areas. Wood ducks lose their flight feathers (cannot fly) and are quiet and inactive during the molt so as not to attract predators.

Food

The main diet of young ducks is insects. Adult wood ducks are primarily vegetarians, although they eat some insects. Foods for adult woodies include dogwood, acorns, button bush, coontail, duckweed, lotus, pondweed, swamp privet, water lily, and wild rice. Animal foods include a diversity of aquatic invertebrates.

Predators

Raccoons, snakes, and opossums eat wood duck eggs. Starling and woodpeckers puncture the eggs, and squirrels crack them. Raccoons and bobcats are probably the worst enemies because they often trap and kill the female wood duck on the nest. If the female is not killed, she will renest in another location. If a nest is not molested, the same bird will come back and use the cavity year after year. Snakes, mink, raccoons, turtles, owls, hawks, herons, and fish (for example, bass, gar) prey on young ducks. Inclement weather also takes its toll.

Management

When duck food is scarce, plant brown-top and Japanese millet on exposed mud flats, beaver ponds, sloughs, or farm ponds and fields. Flood the area to attract wood ducks and other waterfowl species.

One of the best ways to boost the number of wood ducks is to provide adequate nesting sites protected from predators. Build nesting boxes properly shielded against predators, as described in the drawings. It is critical to the protection of the nest box that you construct predator shields as shown; install nest boxes properly in selected locations. Place boxes in or near water at a level at least 5 feet above the water line; avoid locations where flooding could cover boxes. Ongoing research may ultimately reveal the most suitable sites for nest box placement.

Revised and distributed in Mississippi by Dean Stewart, Extension Wildlife Specialist

Information Sheet 643
Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. Ronald A. Brown, Director

Copyright by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved.

This document may be copied and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

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