NWF Wildlife and Weather – Wood Ducks
Wood ducksare actively looking for nesting sites in wooded wetland areas across the Northeast. Unlike the more familiar mallards or domestic ducks, wood ducks lay their eggs inside tree holes rather than in a nest on the ground. This gives the eggs better protection from predators, but means the flightless ducklings have to take a blind leap out of the nest, plunging dozens of feet down to the ground or water below.
Viewer Tip: It’s estimated that the U.S has already lost more than half its original wetlands – and loses more than 109,000 acres of wetlands each year.Find out if there are wetlands near your home – learn more about your local wetlands and the wildlife they support, and consider joining a cleanup or restoration project to help protect importantwildlife habitat.
Season: Spring
This information is provided through a partnership with The National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Learn more at www.nwf.org.
(Additional information from Ducks Unlimited: http://www.ducks.org/Conservation/Habitat/1541/WaterfowlHabitat.html)
