Wood Duck

Description:

These ducks are considered perching duck. Meaning they make their nests in holes of trees or will except nesting boxes.
Males in breeding season are brightly colored. I describe their feathered crowns as helmets. Mostly a irridescent green with a white markings from their throat and across the neck and a few streaks on the side of the face and down the back of their head. The males also have red eyes with red outline, where the females and some immature males have dark eyes. Red-Orange bill that borders on yellow and a black nail. Reddish brown breast with white specks and grey flanks. The back and tail are dark and rump is the reddish brown. Some of the blue from his wings show.
Females are not as colorful. Some may have a brownish color and some like this female has a grayish colored head and white mask around the dark eyes. Bill is a more dark gray or brown. Will have a pale white marking around the bill and on the throat. The the back and tail are a light brown and pale reddish with white specks from their neck to their belly. The will also show some blue from their wings.

Habitat:

Mostly found is small lakes and ponds in wooded areas. This one was found away from the larger pond that had a lot of foot traffic. The pond is concrete reclaimation pond .

Notes:

Though listed as least concerned. In our area they are rare to find. In the bay area the local birders only recorded a few pairs in the bay area that they spotted. Some areas these are migratory. Here they are suppose to be year round.