Additional Information Glossary Wood Duck Aix sponsa Wood ducks are some of the most beautiful waterfowl in the U.S. Over-harvesting and the loss of habitat in the early part of the century threatened them with extinction. Male wood ducks have green heads and crests streaked with white, red eyes and base of bills, purple breasts, white throats, beige sides and bluish backs.
Females are duller with bluish backs and a white teardrop shaped eye patch.
Eggs hatch in 28-37 days. The young leave the nest 1 to 2 days after that. Eggs are 2 inches long and creamy white. Courtship and pair formation takes place in the fall. In wooded swamps and bottom land forests in the eastern and western U.S. and Canada and western Mexico.