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Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Pair - Alternative image
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aix
Species: sponsa
Binomial name
Aix sponsa
The Wood Duck, Aix sponsa, is a medium-sized perching duck.

The adult male has distinctive multi-coloured iridescent plumage and red eyes. The female, less colourful, has a white eye-ring and a whitish throat. Both adults have crested heads.

Their breeding habitat is wooded swamps, shallow lakes, marshes or ponds in eastern North America and the west coast of the United States. They usually nest in cavities in trees close to water, although they will take advantage of nesting boxes if available.

They overwinter in the southern United States near the Atlantic coast.

These birds feed by dabbling or walking on land. They mainly eat plants and seeds.



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