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Wood Duck Houses
Wood Duck House
Small Wood Duck
House |
 
Wood Ducks
are found in eastern North America from
southern Canada to
the southern coast of the United States.
They are also found along parts of North
America's West Coast. Woodland streams or
pools, forest bottomlands, river valleys,
swamps, marshes, lakes, and creeks are
all typical Wood Duck habitat. Female
Wood Ducks exhibit extreme site fidelity,
returning to the same breeding ground
year after year while Wood Ducks residing
in southern North America tend to be
year-round residents.
The breeding season begins in April in
the southern portion of the range. In
northern areas, Wood Ducks arrive on the
breeding ground soon after the ice thaws,
usually in early May. There are, however,
reports of Wood Ducks in Canada beginning
to nest as early as the second week of
April. The nests are not necessarily at
the water's edge. Many Wood Ducks nest up
to a half-mile away from the water: a
distance still close enough that the
female can lead her young to water after
they leave the nest.
Wood Duck houses should be mounted on a
post or deciduous tree 6
to 8 feet high with the entrance hole
facing south or west and within 30 to 100
feet from the nearest water. In
situations where nest boxes are in close
proximity to one another, female Wood
Ducks seem to have difficulty discerning
which nest box is theirs. Consequently,
more than one female lays eggs in a
single box, creating very large clutches
that cannot be effectively incubated;
these clutches subsequently fail. As a
rule, it is best not to put up Wood Duck
houses within sight of each other. |
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