The Wood Duck marks the arrival of early spring, with the male’s vibrant plumage displaying iridescent purple-green hues. This welcome sight stands out against the otherwise drab landscape, making it a favorite among birdwatchers.
Known for being secretive and skittish, the Wood Duck is often heard before it is seen. The female’s characteristic high-pitched warning shrill, Oo-eek, alerts anyone who ventures too close to a pair. A cautious, patient birdwatcher may be able to approach a pair to observe their captivating courtship rituals. One of the most fascinating behaviors is the bill-flicking greeting display, in which paired birds rapidly flick their bills upward, exposing the white underside of their chins. This display is often mimicked by the other duck, creating a charming show of mutual recognition.
Male Wood Duck (photo by Jeff Steele).
In addition to this greeting, the female Wood Duck performs a unique courtship behavior when rejecting a suitor—rapidly flicking her bill over her shoulder. This signals her preference for a particular mate. Afterward, the pair often swims away together, marking the beginning of their bond. The males also perform a striking display to maintain the pair bond. They tuck their heads back, then suddenly thrust their head, wings, and tail upward, making their crest appear more pronounced. This behavior is repeated in front of the female as part of their pair-maintenance rituals. Be sure to watch for these fascinating behaviors this spring at the Faville Grove West near the marshy edges of open water, such as Kettle Pond and Springer Pond.
Wood Ducks were once on the brink of extinction. The logging of older trees (used as nesting cavities), habitat loss due to urbanization, wetland drainage for agriculture, and hunting pressures all contributed to a decline in their populations. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was one of the key pieces of legislation that helped protect Wood Ducks and other migratory bird species from unregulated hunting.
Art Hawkins, who received his master’s degree with Aldo Leopold working at Faville Grove in the 1930s, played an important role in the Wood Ducks’ recovery. While employed by the Illinois Natural History Survey in 1939, Hawkins designed some of the first Wood Duck nest boxes, which were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), while Leopold’s brother Frederick monitored the boxes. Hawkins later founded the Wood Duck Society, which promotes the conservation of the species.
A Wood Duck on a nest box (photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS).
The nest box concept reached the national scene with the introduction of the first nest box monitoring program at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts in 1947. The program was immensely successful.
In the 1980s, the nest box design was refined by the late Don “The Duckman” Helmeke, a well-known Minnesota conservationist, and has since become the gold standard for providing safe and reliable nesting sites for Wood Ducks. This innovative design includes a side opening and a low height—about six feet from the ground—making it easy for birdwatchers to check the boxes with minimal disturbance.
Thanks to these nest boxes, combined with efforts to monitor them, Wood Duck populations are now thriving throughout North America. You can contribute to their continued recovery by building and erecting your own nest box if you live near suitable habitat.
Written by Jeff Steele, Faville Grove Sanctuary land steward
Cover photo by Jeff Steele. A male Wood Duck with colorful plumage swims across the surface of a pond with drab brown vegetation.
