Number 6

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS
Wood ducks depend upon forested
wetland habitat for food and cover,
although marshes are also used.
Breeding range must have trees for
nesting cavities and food near
permanent freshwater lakes and
streams. Brushy borders are
important for nesting and brooding.
Swampy areas with cypress and
gum are premium for roosting. The
best habitat contains mastproducing hardwoods that border
streams and permanent fresh-water
lakes. Many beaver ponds provide
ideal wood duck habitat.

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Acorns
Hickory Nuts
Waterlily Seeds
Duckweed
Mannagrass
Ash
Blackgum
Water Elm
Coontail Seed
Buttercup
Bidens
Muskgrass
Invertebrates
Smartweed

Spring
x
x
x
x
-

Food
The diet of the wood duck includes
hard and soft mast, insects, aquatic
invertebrates (mollusks, snails,
etc.), aquatic plants and seeds.
Mast is the fruit of trees and shrubs,
such as acorns, nuts, & berries.
Wood ducks feed on land
considerable distances from open
water.

Summer
x
x

Fall
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x

Winter
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
-

North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service
North Carolina State University
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
College of Forest Resources

Page 2

Cover
Nesting habitat requires areas of flooded
shrubs, trees, or both, in approximately 1:1
ratio of plant cover to open water. Trees or
shrubs overhanging water will suffice. Cover
should remain available from February
through May. Nesting cavities should be
within 1/2 mile from water. Mature trees of
16" in diameter or more are the primary
source of cavities, although nest boxes
make a good substitute. Maintain at least
one cavity for every 5 acres of woodlands.
Adequate food must be available.
Nesting requires cavities or nest boxes.
Wood ducks prefer to use cavities already
made by woodpeckers and squirrels,
although any cavity is acceptable. The
entrance should be no larger than 4" and
the cavity large enough to support an
average of 11 young. Protecting previously
used nests is very important. Once
successful, a female will nest in the same
cavity year after year.
Home Range
Due to the migratory and mobile nature of
the wood duck, home range is difficult to
define. The average feeding radius is 25 to
30 miles every day. Annual migrations
reach hundreds of miles.
Because of the mobility and migratory
habits of waterfowl, home range is not a
consideration in forest habitat management
except in terms of the brood-rearing and
nesting
requirements
discussed above, and
feeding radius.

IMPROVING WOOD DUCK

HABITAT
Mature Hardwood:
Retain hardwood or mixed
pine/hardwood types

Keep 1/3 of tract in 50 year or older trees

In pine types, create or retain hardwood

patches (5 acres or more)

Maintain a distribution of age classes,

especially along water edges

Mast Production:
Control understory by mechanical
methods

Protect areas of mast production

Plant mast producing trees, especially

along streambanks and ponds

Intermediate Treatments:
Thin frequently (8 to 10 years) for crown
development

Favor mast species in thinnings

Favor red oaks over white oaks by a

ratio of 2:1

Do not chemically treat grape vines

Wood Duck
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Working With Wildlife # 6 - Wood Duck

Page 3

WOOD DUCK NEST CONSTRUCTION

Cost share assistance may be available through

the Stewardship Incentive Program for these
practices. See your Wildlife Biologist, Forester, or
Extension Agent for more information about the
Forest Stewardship Program.

Direct Improvements:
Retain all oaks overhanging water
Retain all identified cavity trees within 1/2 mile of water
Plant mast species in wetlands areas.
Leave small areas of unharvested cropland near wetlands and open water
Temporarily flood hardwood stands or farm fields during winter months to attract
ducks for hunting and overwintering (consult appropriate authorities before
flooding land)
Protect all secluded ponds, marshes, and beaver ponds
Erect nest boxes where cavity trees are lacking

Prepared by:
Edwin J Jones, Department Extension Leader,
Mark A. Megalos, Extension Forestry Specialist,
Michael S. Mitchell, Graduate Research Assistant
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Working With Wildlife # 6 - Wood Duck

Page 4

Species That Benefit From Wood Duck Management

Many game and nongame species with habitat requirements similar to wood ducks benefit from
wood duck management. Management plans should emphasize the community of species that share
wood duck habitat. Wood duck associates include:
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Red-bellied Watersnake
Great Blue Heron
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

Black Duck
Bullfrogs
Kingfisher
Muskrat
Swamp Sparrow

Pileated Woodpecker
Painted Turtle
Red-headed Woodpecker
Beaver
Screech Owl

Other Wildlife Notes Available:

No. 1 - Endangered Species
No. 14 - Snags and Downed Logs
No. 2 - Eastern Gray Squirrel
No. 15 - Managing Edges for Wildlife
No. 3 - White-tailed Deer
No. 16 - Building Songbird Boxes
No. 4 - Songbirds
No. 17 - Woodland Wildlife Nest Boxes
No. 5 - Wild Turkey
No. 18 - Low Cost Habitat Improvements
No. 6 - Wood Duck
No. 19 - Pools for Amphibians
No. 7 - Cottontail Rabbit
No. 20 - Hummingbirds and Butterflies
No. 8 - Bobwhite Quail
No. 21 - Bats
No. 9 - Ruffed Grouse
No. 22 - Owls
No. 10 - Black Bear
No. 23 - Managing Beaver Ponds
No. 11 - Raccoon
No. 24 - Herbaceous Plants for Wildlife
No. 12 - Mourning Dove
No. 25 - SIP Wildlife Opportunities
No. 13 - Wildlife Terms
Wood Duck Nest Box Design on page 3 courtesy of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

FOREST STEWARDSHIP
a cooperative program for
improving and maintaining all of the
resources on private forestland

9-94-4M-WWW-6
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Working With Wildlife # 6 - Wood Duck