Birds · Anseriformes · Anatidae

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A duck with marked sexual dimorphism. The male is unmistakable: red bill, a broad whitish stripe running from the bill over the eye to the tip of a swept-back crest, orange whiskers and large orange sails at the rear of the back. The female is far more subdued and very like the female mandarin duck.

Weight

453 g on average

Size

45 cm – 50 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestFreshwaterOmnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Temperate forest Freshwater

3countries 30parks42same family

Fun facts

The ducklings leap from the tree hollow, sometimes from 15 metres up, and land unhurt: their tiny weight and their down cushion the impact.
It is the type species of the genus Aix, whose name comes from a Greek word Aristotle used for an unidentified diving bird.
Together with the mandarin duck it made up the group known as the "perching ducks", a grouping now regarded as artificial and whose place in the family is still unclear.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Wooded wetlands of the eastern United States. It nests in tree cavities, sometimes at a considerable height above the water
Birth weight: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Size at birth: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 31 days
Litter / clutch size: 12