Wood Duck

(Aix sponsa)

Conservation Status
Wood Duck
Photo by Wayne Rasmussen
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

 

 
     
 

Size

 
 

15 to 20 in length

30 wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
   
 

Unseen Wood Ducks are often recognized by the distinctive call they make while flying away at the approach of a human.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Breeding: Beaver ponds; wooded swamps, ponds; marshes with trees or extensive cattails; lakeshores with wooded edges

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

March to October

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

Aquatic vegetation, especially duckweed, sedges, and grasses; fruits; nuts

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common migrant and breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Aves (birds)  
 

Order

Anseriformes (waterfowl)  
 

Family

Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans)  
  Subfamily Anatinae (dabbling ducks)  
 

Genus

Aix (wood and mandarin ducks)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
 

Wood Ducks and a Northern Flicker at a pond...

I was filming the wood ducks and a northern flicker flew into view and went over by the ducks. It was at a pond in Norman County Mn. 9-17-23.

  Wood Duck  
           
 

Wood Ducks...

I only seen them close enough one April 2023 day at a pond in Norman Co. Mn.

  Wood Duck  
 

Ramona Abrego

 
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
           
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
           
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
 

Lynn Rubey

 
 

A Wood Duck in flight.

This one swam out from under a fallen tree before taking off flying into the sunlight as I captured this shot. In The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

  Wood Duck  
           
 

A Female Woodduck in a pond in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

 
    Wood Duck      
 

Margot Avey

 
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
           
    Wood Duck      
           
 

Wayne Rasmussen

 
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
           
    Wood Duck   Wood Duck  
           
    Wood Duck      
           
 

Wood Duck with Mallard

 
    Wood Duck      
           
 

“The Wood Duck nests in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to 2 km (1.2 mi) away. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. The mother calls them to her, but does not help them in any way. The ducklings may jump from heights of up to 89 m (290 ft) without injury. They nest near this pond in the Maplewood Nature Center.”

— Cornell Lab - All About Birds

  Wood Duck  
           
 

Urban parks host a large variety of wildlife if you really spend some time observing.

 
    Wood Duck      
 

Kirk Nelson

 
 

Wood ducks (male and female) and female Hooded Merganser with ducklings

 
    Wood ducks (male and female) and female Hooded Merganser with ducklings      
 

Becky

 
 

Consistently around 8:15 p.m., this male Wood Duck and six others have been coming to our backyard (Credit River bluff area) to eat corn and birdseed. They are quick moving birds, making it almost impossible to take a sharp picture.

  Wood Duck  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

 

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Wood Duck
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
 
  Wood Duck  
  Wood Duck
Ed McVicker
 
  Wood Duck  
  Wood Duck
JMC Nature Photos
 
  Wood Duck  
  Wood Duck 2008
petersonfieldguides
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Feb 21, 2009

The colorful harlequin plumage of the Wood Duck makes it so striking as to seem unreal. Add to that its odd squealing calls and tree-nesting habits, and you have a most unusual duck.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
  "Wood Ducks" Spring 2023
Aug 22, 2023
 
   
 
About

Wood Ducks are beautiful ducks. Filmed in an area out of the wind on a pond early Spring 2023. Several were back in the cattails so I tried to imitate wood duck sounds. I wasn't as real sounding but they seemed somewhat curious and some did come out into view. A lot of grasses, cattail reeds, branches etc. to try film through. I remained silent once I seen them. There were geese across the pond, some sandhill cranes in the area etc. and some distant sounds can be heard.

   
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Aix sponsa - Wood Ducks at Burnaby Lake
wetvideocamera
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Oct 5, 2011

Wood Ducks at Burnaby Lake.

( Aix sponsa ) Burnaby Lake, Burnaby, BC October 5 , 2011

   
  Wood / Carolina Duck (Aix sponsa)
Mark George
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 4, 2013

Filmed in Western Canada

   
  Bird Haven Ranch Wood Ducks
Jay Goble
 
   
 
About

Published on May 18, 2013

Amazingly successful: Paul Bonderson's Bird Haven Ranch Wood Duck Project

   
  Deb & Stu Greenberg's Wood Duck Pond
Jay Goble
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 4, 2012

A visit to that magic backyard pond which is a magnet for all forms of wildlife.

   
  2011-03-26 Wood duck with an attitude
h2otara
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 20, 2011

This time of year the Wood Ducks are much more aggressive and easily agitated. I'm not sure what had this drake so upset, but you can hear a hen Wood Duck calling an alarm-type call from "stage left," and that may have been what caused all of his fast swimming, crest-raising and posturing.

I apparently brushed the camera during the filming, so don't turn the volume up TOO loud--I don't want to break your ear drums. I have a LOT to learn about video compared to still shots!

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Dan W. Andree
9/17/2023

Location: Norman Co. Mn.

I was filming the wood ducks and a northern flicker flew into view and went over by the ducks. It was at a pond in Norman County Mn. 9-17-23.

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Dan W. Andree
April 2023

Location: Norman Co. Mn.

I only seen them close enough one April 2023 day at a pond in Norman Co. Mn.

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Lynn Rubey
5/15/2020

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

This one swam out from under a fallen tree before taking off flying into the sunlight as I captured this shot. In The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Margot Avey
8/8/2019

Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Ramona Abrego
5/17/2019

Location: Becker County

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Ramona Abrego
5/13/2019

Location: Becker County

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Ramona Abrego
4/25/2019

Location: Becker County

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Ramona Abrego
4/23/2019

Location: Becker County

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Lynn Rubey
10/29/2018

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

A Female Woodduck in a pond in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Wayne Rasmussen
5/16/2018

Location: Ramsey, Maplewood Hts

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Wayne Rasmussen
5/13/2018

Location: Ramsey, Maplewood Hts Park

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Wayne Rasmussen
6/28/2016

Location: Maplewood Nature Center

“The Wood Duck nests in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to 2 km (1.2 mi) away. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. The mother calls them to her, but does not help them in any way. The ducklings may jump from heights of up to 89 m (290 ft) without injury. They nest near this pond in the Maplewood Nature Center.”

— Cornell Lab - All About Birds

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Wayne Rasmussen
6/28/2016

Location: Maplewood Heights Park

Urban parks host a large variety of wildlife if you really spend some time observing.

Pileated Woodpecker  
  Kirk Nelson
5/29/2016

Location: Crosby Farm Regional Park

Wood ducks (male and female) and female Hooded Merganser with ducklings

Wood ducks (male and female) and female Hooded Merganser with ducklings  
  Becky
4/16/2016

Location: Savage

Consistently around 8:15 p.m., this male Wood Duck and six others have been coming to our backyard (Credit River bluff area) to eat corn and birdseed. They are quick moving birds, making it almost impossible to take a sharp picture.

Pileated Woodpecker  
           
 
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Binoculars

 

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