Wood Duck - Aix sponsa
The only place I see Wood Ducks is at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, where nesting pairs were released years ago and the birds have continued to return to nest ever since. Man-made nest-boxes are an attractive site for these birds to nest.
Within a day of hatching, the young climb up to the nest hole entrance and drop down to the ground in response to the call of the mother.
In the wild, Wood Ducks choose natural cavities to nest and they favor the holes of the larger woodpeckers. Pileated (and in the past, Ivory-billed) Woodpecker nests are such a favoured site that most Wood Ducks only nest in areas where these woodpeckers also nest.
About 40% of chicks are lost to predation, which is similar to the figure in Mallards.
References
The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.
Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.
Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.
Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.
Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.
Within a day of hatching, the young climb up to the nest hole entrance and drop down to the ground in response to the call of the mother.
About 40% of chicks are lost to predation, which is similar to the figure in Mallards.
References
The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.
Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.
Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.
Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.
Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.
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