Baby wood ducks are then brooded by their mother for about 24 to 36 hours before fledging. Only the female tends the young, and after 63 to 70 days young are able to fly. Wood Ducks generally have one brood per season, but in the southern portion of the range, two broods in one season have been reported. Fortunately, through the determined efforts of conservationists, the various state game departments, and the combined cooperation of the Canadian and United States governments, steps were taken in time to save the wood ducks. The result was one of the most notable conservation achievements to date.
Today there are several million wood ducks in North America, and their future is relatively secure.