The Wood Duck: One of the Most Unique Ducks You'll Ever See

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Stellers Jay Overview video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYjGpWCVh7aBpac

[@Jacob-we3lt]

I think many people are surprised to see how much hunters (especially duck hunters) care about the species they are hunting and will go through great measures to preserve wildlife for the next generation. Happy hunting and or birding!

[@junglewaltz]

This video seems like it could use a reminder that the legislation protecting game species and the wild places that support them comes from the hunting community, as does the funding that supports its enforcement and conservation measures in general. If not for our hunting tradition, we would have lost these and many other treasures long ago.

[@christopherbright1048]

I was an avid duck hunter in MD I now live in an area where there isn't much duck hunting but I always buy my state & Federal duck stamp hunters do more than nonhunters to support wildlife

[@scottjustscott3730]

Nearly every conservation-minded person I've known is also an avid hunter but not every hunter is conservation-minded for sure.

[@eddiefniii]

@@christopherbright1048well I pick up trash daily at the park that would go into buffalo bayou polluting the bayou then the ocean. So yeah. I do help!

[@tobycutler80]

I saw an eBird checklist the other day that was submitted by someone hunting snipe at the local wildlife refuge! I thought that was awesome

[@maryarends6595]

We installed a modest koi pond in our backyard among some old growth trees. Imagine my surprise to see a female wood duck and her offspring paddling happily around out there. Within a short time she led them off into a neighboring field. Happy day.

[@aaronrowell3566]

Nothing like hearing the whistling wings and skies full of the squealing of woodies in their predawn flight. Blessed to live in Arkansas, I have spent many mornings standing in flooded timber watching natures magnificent woodduck show.

[@TheOvenbirder]

One fact I’ve found interesting is the relationship of wood ducks to beavers. Beaver ponds are prime real estate for wood ducks. Beaver population declines due to trapping in the 1800’s were a significant factor in wood duck population declines. As beaver trapping waned and reintroductions occurred in the mid 1900’s, beaver populations rebounded, as did wood duck populations. Great video Leslie. Thanks for your work!

[@joseenoel8093]

Yes they're saying beavers are the answer to our climate change problems! What a great movie "Grey Owl", with Pierce Bronson was and a true story at that! Canada once had 11 species of beavers, now only 1! When my mother-in-law passed away I couldn't give her beaver coat away!!

[@mscir]

Interesting, I had no idea.

[@charlesd2109]

That makes really good sense. There is also a sort of symbiotic relationship that I have observed when beavers are feeding. I saw this a number of times in a nearby beaver pond (Ottawa area in Canada) - beavers were feeding on the tubers from water lilies, and there would be wood ducks very close by. I think they were waiting for bits of the tubers to break off. Sometimes I've seen wood ducks with large (by their standards) pieces in their beaks, looking a bit like a pale yellow peanut. I am not even sure how they manage to eat those but they seem to like them! I even saw a female come so close to a beaver as it was busy digging out a tuber that she got hit by the beaver's tail! It didn't deter her though. She stuck right by the beaver until it surfaced with the tuber.

[@ronward3949]

Very adapted to survival, females do the raising of young, and I have seen males defend or distract potential threats to female and young, with his flashy colors distractive and beautiful. Ducklings are very social, females secretively sneak away, ducklings trying to follow. Very social in fall, females may bond with other duck families, yet I have not witnessed that behavior. Mountain quail, wild turkeys, and other game birds do come together after young are hatched to assert more eyes and peers to look out for predators of more vulnerable young. As hatchlings grow quickly this communal raising of young does, often, seem to be effective. They are unique Tree lovers, cavities fit their needs like you suggested by fairly permanent water source. Socially behaviors point to the male dazzling her, but distractive as young or female are threatened. Such lovely ducks, probably does make a fine mount for Taxidermists, and may have led to being a popular Trophy, and their diets make them sound, well quite edible. Saw ducklings and Mom as a young person they taught me well by just observing one of my personal favorites, boy those ducklings are cute! Pictures were stu

[@jj18057]

Beavers are key to some habitats. But the dust bowl had a huge impact on ALL duck populations and was probably a bigger variable in duck declines at the time.

[@FrederickDunn]

I absolutely LOVE wood ducks! I was doing product review photos and video, and had to put the decoys on the pond for final photos. I was pleasantly surprised to have real live wood ducks arrive and join the lifeless decoys. Do you have any explanation as to why they seem not to be able to determine that decoys are not live ducks? This left me with questions but was a pleasant bonus for the decoy company. Side-note, I'm not a hunter, the decoys are used to draw them in for photography and video :) Thank you and Happy Holidays!

[@protitikhan3861]

Thanks for not being a hunter 💕

[@GodofFallout1]

@@protitikhan3861 are you vegan?

[@FrederickDunn]

@@protitikhan3861 I shoot things with my camera :)

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Me too, all day long :D

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Hmm that's interesting. I'm not sure about why they are unable to determine that decoys are not live ducks. Something for me to look up and read about though. Thanks for mentioning it and thanks for the nice comment. So glad that you enjoyed this video. Have a great day

[@michaelwolfe8888]

Thank you once again, Lesley. I'm a natural resources consultant and have often and greatly enjoyed seeing wood ducks during my fieldwork. Such a beautiful bird! I admire your dedication and excellence in this production for a bird species you've yet to have seen in person. Please keep up the good work. Much appreciated!

[@Birdlab]

I’ve been lucky to have wood ducks nest on my property for the last two years using a nest box located on a creek bank. Watching the young leave the nest on “jump day” is an amazing thing to witness and I was able to get some video of it. This past spring, at least two females laid eggs in the shared nest box. A pair of hooded mergansers also spent time investigating the nest box. It’s a very popular spot!

[@sharksport01]

Time for 3 more.

[@jake-rz2fk]

i kill so many wood ducks

[@kristiemowry3267]

@@jake-rz2fk so, you are proud, so what

[@inkydoug]

My 4th grade class project (1973) was building wood duck boxes and putting them up out in swamps in west Michigan. From how often I see duck boxes, both functional and falling apart, it seems like a popular thing to do yet.

[@HSkyler]

So coincidental that this video is posted only a few days after seeing my very first Wood Duck! In fact, there were six of them. Gorgeous birds. Thank you so much for the informative video!

[@gratefultemple]

Wow that's wonderful!

[@firesandflowers]

I looked up wood duck nests on KZbin after this video and was in for a real treat! Those lil ducklings are adorable and watching them leap 30-50 ft out of trees is absolutely amazing!!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

It's amazing, glad you were able to find some videos on that :)

[@micahbirdlover8152]

iv seen male wood duck 🦆 in the park one time great experience 😊

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd the Mandarin duck is completely looks different then American wood duck

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd I saw show called duck umentary it's all about the wood 🦆

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd the male Wood 🦆 stays with female rain 🌧️or shine ☀️ thick and thin 😊

[@bluz4ala]

I'm fortunate to have wood ducks around my property, I see them in the Spring and early Summer. Three years ago I had 2 mating pairs out back and counted 20 little ones swimming around the stream that goes through my back yard. They are very skittish and can't get anywhere near them. It's definitely a head-turner to see a duck perched in a tree. Great job once again Lesley, thank you.

[@kathleenhartsch2872]

Many years ago I had Wood Ducks in a cavity in a tree in my yard in north central IN. Haven’t seen one since, but it’s something you don’t forget. Great video.

[@julesa.5887]

The Wood duck is divine. I'm fortunate to have them in my area. Thanks for all the history and info.

[@icgreener]

Beautiful 😍❤️ I could listen to you for hours, the feathers on these ducks are a work of art 😊

[@ashstondavis3430]

Yes they are.

[@micahbirdlover8152]

male wood ducks🦆are beautiful 🥰

[@micahbirdlover8152]

there great birds 🥰😊

[@micahbirdlover8152]

were dose the name wood come from 🤔

[@JakeLfishing]

Yea in till there shot

[@christines.1546]

I am so happy that the lake I live on supports wood ducks, loons, geese and a good sized bunch of trumpeter swans! They all provide me with a lot of happiness(and pics and videos!) throughout the year.

[@janicebrowningaquino792]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! They are breathtakingly beautiful. I’m almost 70, I also have never seen more than a picture of these beautiful birds! What a marvel to behold 😊!

[@lynnquinn7244]

Wood ducks have always been a favourite! Thanks so much for doing this! In early spring before our lakes opened up, the ducks would hang out in the ditches along our dirt road (in Sudbury, ON area), and I would often see a pair of wood ducks fraternizing with a pair of mallards. Somewhere I have a gorgeous book about wood ducks and mandarins in the western U.S., sharing the Pacific Flyway. They can interbreed, but the offspring are infertile. The book is The Wood Duck and the Mandarin: The Northern Wood Ducks by Lawton L. Shurtleff and Christopher Savage, and can still be found. Great photos!

[@andrewjones6693]

Woods Ducks were always my favorite duck. I finally got to see them live when I bought a house on a creek in southern New Jersey. I've since moved to Central New Jersey and was pleasantly surprised to see them on the Delaware & Raritan Canal too! 🦆😄

[@micahbirdlover8152]

American wood duck is my favorite bird😊

[@birdy1527]

Yay! The wood duck is so beautiful ❤️ it was great to learn more about them!

[@neildbarker]

Really informative video, Lesley. We're lucky here in the Ottawa area as we get a good number of them migrating through and many stay and nest and raise ducklings. Most are gone south now with a few late stragglers still hanging around. One thing I miss is their distinct sound that they make - likely won't hear it again until next Spring. Thanks for sharing and here's hoping you get to see one in your area next Spring! Happy birding. :)

[@jonminer9891]

Hi, Lesley. The Wood Duck is one of my favorite birds. Their hatching and nesting exit is spectacular. This video was excellent. Thank you Bob Carlyle! Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!

[@johnwalters1341]

One additional habitat where Wood Ducks are often found is public parks. San Diego is near the southern limit of Wood Duck, and it used to be considered a rare vagrant. But several of our local parks, including Santee Lakes in Santee and Lindo Lake in Lakeside (two suburban communities east of San Diego proper) host breeding populations of Wood Duck by providing nest boxes and suitable habitat. Similar stories can be told for other southern California communities. As a result, today we have flourishing populations of Wood Ducks in a region where Wood Duck would not otherwise occur.

[@gratefultemple]

I've seen them in Los Angeles at MacArthur Park😍

[@janohare916]

Yes! I was surprised to see the variety of bird life in Lindo Lake in Lakeside CA. Not only wood ducks are found there, but also American Coots and others. How great that these species are encouraged in public lakes.

[@sherrieoneillthompson7061]

Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon

[@mc12358]

Wood Ducks are year-round residents in most parts of my state. I love seeing them at the local park where they seem to favor a beaver pond. I always thought ducks were categorized as either dabblers or divers. This is the first I've learned of perching ducks. Thanks for the informative video 🙂

[@sternenregen5489]

Long ago when I was a child I saw some of these ducks in a park not far from my home in Northern Germany. There were a lot of "exotic" birds. Now I know more about these ducks. Thank you.

[@sherrieoneillthompson7061]

With the orchards around my subdivision there were several ponds back in them. One street had a Duck Crossing sign. There was a pair of plain old Mallards that used to walk over to the house across from me every day. Once she was settled in a flower bed...the male would cross the street to get some Birdsey bread I put out. Then after eating they would walk back to the orchard area. I never saw them fly? In an large park in Ashland, Oregon there are Wood ducks They park has placed Nest Boxes for them and maintain them . I've seen those boxes since I was a little kid visiting the duck pond. I'm now 76 and they still have them. With a large lovely pond.

[@freedomforever6718]

The colorful plumage of the male wood duck reminds me of the puffin. The organization "Ducks Unlimited" has played an important role in maintaining a viable population of the wood duck.

[@pthom1508]

Not only has DU helped with wood ducks, but with all waterfowl. They have preserved over 11 milion acres of wildlife habitat since their founding.

[@Narnian78]

Wood Ducks are quite common here in Michigan. They are in the lakes and ponds not far from where I live. The nesting boxes are often found near lakes and have helped to increase their numbers.

[@scottvk75]

Thank you, Lesley. The wood duck is a favorite of mine to photograph. I did not know of their near extinction - so glad conservations works.

[@micahbirdlover8152]

cute 🥰pfp

[@rhondagross5769]

On the rate occasion that I see a wood duck in my area, southwestern New York, I have always been amazed by the drake's plumage. It looks like an artist painted it on! 🦆 Thank you for this informative video!

[@cathywhite9240]

As I scroll, I skip & land. Then I seen the wood duck by LesleytheBirdNerd. Absolutely stunning!! Thank you to not just yourself but to those wishing to share in the hopes of conversation!

[@danbev8542]

Thank you for another great video! Like you, I’ve never seen one, so it was delightful to see your photos &learn about the beautiful wood duck. May they thrive indefinitely!

[@mjinba07]

A Wood Duck came down my chimney once, when I was living on the central-northern U.S. border. That was a little exciting. Got the poor, confused, sooty thing out without damage and figured my chimney could probably forego cleaning that fall.

[@CMDPromptify]

Oh how delightful! Seeing these beauties is always a treat.

[@jeylavan4914]

I love ducks in general but I'm a huge fan of wood ducks! I've only seen them once in the wild which was a male/female pair in a nice patch of woods. Ever since then I've been in love with this species

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

Used to have a Wood Duck nest box on our pond. the tree it was mounted on died, and we had a flood that pretty much destroyed the pond... eutrification and such When we can afford it, we'll get the pond dredged and rebuilt, and put up a Wood Duck box again. They're wonderful and pretty birds.

[@raymondjones7489]

The colors of these birds are beyond amazing!!..thank you so much for sharing the amazing beauty of these birds!!👍👍💚💪

[@naimliss4488]

Leslie, waterfowl are so fascinating. Please continue more videos on them! Canada geese, pintail, snow geese, teal, wigeon etc! They are all so incredible and interesting! Thanks for making these!

[@DR-qf9th]

My husband was mowing the lawn when suddenly he heard and felt a thump, then another thump he then saw what it was the baby wood ducks were jumping out of our tree. When all the babies were all down the mama duck escorted them down to the lake across the street. So weird that he was able to hear them over the lawn mower.🦆

[@chriscarlsen2100]

That's so cool!! How cute that would be to see 😍

[@IreneDowningNature]

My sweet Lesley another delightful and pleasant informative share this time on the lovely Wood Ducks. Nature is sure so amazing and wonderful to watch , observe and always learn new things about. Nice to see all the images you presented of them from other channels. Thanks for sharing my friend. A pleasure as always Irene. 💕🥰👍

[@denisepeck9682]

Lesley, thank you so very much for your lovely videos. Oh, those ducklings - ADORABLE!

[@wyomingadventures]

I haven't seen many wood ducks around here. But I have seen them other places. Just would love to see more of them. Had no idea the males only kept their plumage during mating season. Thank you to all who provided footage and Leslie! Great video 🤎💚🤍❤💙

[@petaloka1]

Another excellent video. I’m fortunate enough to have them in my area, during mild winters even year round. I had no idea they came so close to extinction.

[@rolling.reggie]

Very good timing! I’m going on a trip this morning with my local Audubon to a wetland for beginner birders ❤️

[@TheTwoBeauties]

Wood ducks are stunningly beautiful. They remind me somewhat of the Gouldian finch with its striking patchwork of vibrant colors except the finch is more pastel in its coloring. Birds are truly The Almighty’s most exquisite works of art.

[@wilbur63wb]

So, imagine my surprise, at the age of 58, as I'm sitting on my couch enjoying my morning coffee (in the spring of 2021) when, out of the corner of my eye, I see A DUCK land in a tree in the swamp in my back yard! A duck in a tree?! Never in my life!! Binoculars confirmed a wood duck hen! I sure hope life stays exciting! Thanks for another great video!

[@kateclark7250]

Thank you for this video Lesley. Love these ducks. There was a pond on the property where I grew up. My dad kept wood duck boxes along the edges.

[@John_Fugazzi]

I love the way all these people share their photos and clips with you so you can make these presentations about particular birds, even ones not found in your area. I noted quite a number of names on the photos.

[@ecuadoriantaco27]

I love these videos, keep em coming !

[@michellediekman4873]

I've always loved how Beautiful they are. Love your Channel 😙❤

[@JB-nr8fu]

Love this and Wood ducks. Thank you Leslie for the in depth information and great photos!

[@russellgentile4719]

Leslie, thank you for educating and speaking out for the preservation and benefit of this beautiful bird. These and other birds and animals are truly gifts to mankind.

[@flippinrawks]

Thank you Lesley!

[@mscir]

I had no idea there were so many species of duck, geese, and swans. GREAT video, thank you Lesley.

[@nathanwebb4836]

The wood duck is one of my favorite ducks in America and I saw a few here in Alabama.

[@chriscarlsen2100]

This was very interesting! What a beautiful duck. I think we have them here in Wisconsin. I'll have to keep my eye out for them next spring. I've never seen one, I've never looked either though. I really enjoyed hearing about how they came back from near extinction. Thanks for the great video!!

[@travisbicklejr]

Great video, as always! I always assumed they were a dabbling species! I had no idea they have strong claws for perching. Thanks so much for your content!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching :)

[@henrybrylowski1332]

Yes are my favorite ducks! When I was stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY they would show up sometimes in the small wooded neighborhood water shed area! Only time I was able to get photos of them, but not very good since they were farther away since I was not in blind of any kind and knew I was there. No complaints, sadly I relocated that winter so wasn't able to prepare a natural ground blind for the spring in hopes that some will stop by again.

[@briantwiles7723]

Been fascinated with these guys since I was a kid. I also live way out of their migration routes. Still I have Identified hens a few times growing up in Wyoming but never a drake. This November I got the biggest shock of my life when I found a Drake in full plumage at 8000 ft in the central mtns of Colorado! Now I can’t stop imagining how he ended up there. Such a neat bird!

[@Thehappybirder]

I hope someday that you get to see one. It is one of the birds that got me into birding and the reason that ducks/water fowl are my favorite kinds of birds.

[@CaptainDar]

We have them where I live; they are one of my favorites. Another thing I love about them is they don't quack so much as squeak!

[@jaym8257]

I live on a lake and have built about a dozen boxes. They are part of our daily lives 365 days a year.

[@BirdsandGhibliFan]

I figured that Wood Ducks were close relatives of the Mandarin Duck. Both species are so gorgeous, they look like they escaped from a painting. 🖼 🥰😍 I remember seeing a PBS documentary on Wood Ducks a long time ago, and was astounded seeing the ducklings take that leap of faith from the nest and then stories down the tree. Plus, I didn’t know that the males looked pretty only for the breeding season. Thanks for sharing, Lesley!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I remember that documentary. It was so good and I was amazed by that leap too.

[@jj18057]

It is called a duckumentary

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@jj18057 yes it's called duckmentary ☝️pbs 📀 dvd player

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd it's such a good show

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

10:20 Thanks for stressing how the boxes can prevent starlings from nesting, the bane of my existence.

[@gsco82]

Very nice video, Lesley. I see Wood Ducks regularly in spring and summer here in Southeastern BC. When I lived in Calgary, Alberta, a small number of Wood Ducks could be seen in winter on the Elbow river amongst the flocks of Mallards. Always a treat to see Wood Ducks, even the females.

[@DumpsterBaby18]

Great video, thank you for featuring my photos!

[@julieprior3126]

Extraordinary! I learned a *lot* from this video Lesley. These certainly are unique ducks. Whilst I love the males' plumage with their bright, irridescant colours, I also loved the many, more subtle hues on the females' backs. Great photographs from those named! Thankyou.

[@mamaboocee]

I had no idea how different wood ducks are from regular ducks and geese - and how beautiful! Another informative teaching moment from my favorite bird nerd!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JSparrowist]

Beautiful ducks narrated by a beautiful voice. Thank you.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

So nice of you

[@Sshartfest]

Awesome video Lesley! I always get excited when you post a video on a bird I don’t know much about. Because I absolutely love learning new things from your channel.

[@peterjames2580]

I am grateful to say that my creek/swamp/beaver pound brings these beauties! Thanks for the show!

[@panatypical]

I'll have to keep on the lookout for this particular species of duck in the ponds at the park near where I live. There are many types, but this would be the most colorful one. I appreciate your doing a video on this, because there are more waterfowl where I live than any other type of bird and knowing an animal's general life cycle tells you what point its life is at and what it is more likely to do next.

[@Light-3in1]

my first exposure was on Lake Superior near the Superior WI harbor entrance; out hiking in early summer with friends back in the 70's and found a male wood duck in a nest at the base of a tree by a wetlands, WOW!!!, I've never forgotten this experience, thank you for sharing the video, one of the more memorable birds I've seen!

[@locksbog4270]

Good show Nerd, 25 years ago my place was over run with them and few mallards, now it's the opposite. 👍😃✌️🦆

[@ginafriend1690]

We have tons of ducks and mallards in IL. So many bodies of water and marshes around to provide for. At times they really get honking! I may not get some varieties of birds I wish we had, but all in all, I'm quite fortunate to live in an area that includes many species of!

[@mmps18]

Gorgeous duckies!!!

[@Jeni-ow1kl]

LOVE, LOVE,LOVE the Wood Ducks💜💜💜 We have Wood Duck houses up near &/around our farm pond! Many oak trees close by seem to add to our luck @ enjoying theBeautiful Wood Ducks!!🍀🍀🍀 Thank you once again for the SUPER VIDEO⭐️👍 ‘side note’ the nesting boxes that aren’t used by Wood Ducks occasionally provide homes to Kestrels, &/or Screech owls:)!! BIG BONOUS⭐️⭐️⭐️🍀

[@andymok7945]

The Wood Duck has been nesting for many decades in the ponds of High Park in Toronto, Ontario. Never tire of seeing them, just gorgeous. Come late Aug., they sit on the wall of the pond are and are very friendly. I see they fly into the trees where oblong crab apples grow and they just eat them up.

[@K3Flyguy]

I have Wood Duck boxes and they use em every year. My favorite bird is the Kingfisher! Have you done Kingfisher videos?

[@rongaskins]

Thank you, Michele ... for making this documentary. You have done a great job of describing this beautiful duck, its habitat, its breeding habits, and its near extinction ... One oversight, at least in my opinion in this otherwise magnificent presentation is the role played by hunters in the wood duck's restoration. In the middle 1930s, after the devastating drought in the Midwest of our land ... reaching all the way into the Canadian prairies, hunters gathered together and lobbied the US Congress to establish an excise tax on hunting geat. The funds raised by this group, which later became Ducks Unlimited, were used for ground-breaking research on the many things you focused on in this video ... with the addition of specifically designated funds for Wildlife Biologists in the state Wildlife services across our land. This meant that these agencies were better funded for all their different activities, but many of these wildlife officers attended college and graduate school where their projects focused on waterfowl of all sorts, but the wood ducks benefited from this. What most people don't know is that the funds the hunters voted to be raised from their purchases benefit every species of wildlife that lives in our country and the many bird watchers and photographers in our land have benefited greatly as well. Hopefully, the absence of wood ducks from your observation will be remedied soon.

[@seanledden4397]

What a spectacular bird!

[@jeffolson4731]

I have seen a few wood ducks, even saw a mom and a bunch of ducklings, but have so far failed to get any good pictures of them. They are beautiful birds and one I hope to capture a good image of soon.

[@voodoodolly]

Holy moly i never saw these before! Wow 😍

[@SW13333]

Hi Lesley - Another great video 👍 They aren't in my area but I have read about them - however wasn't aware of the males not participating in egg incubation. Glad people worked together so to keep them from becoming extinct. - Stephanie

[@ghostsharky]

Very realistic. You'd never know they were made out of wood. Good job!

[@susana.954]

Thank you for this great video! It was interesting to learn that these ducks are not territorial. It seems that most of the ducks and geese in my area are very aggressive and territorial. Also, I was surprised that these beautiful birds almost became extinct. I often see Wood Ducks in abundance at a particular reservoir. I wish I could provide a nest box for them, but I don't live close to a body of water.

[@TotalTruthca]

I had the amazing privilege of seeing and photographing a wood duck at a local park as they were more than likely migrating through in the spring. Such amazing creatures so beautiful it was a male and I still cannot believe the colors wow God used a paint brush for this species. He is the master artist!

[@deejay2838]

I love these beauties Lesley...we do have them in my area, and whenever I see one I am in awe. Thank you for another wonderful video, so much info. !

[@maryjeandarnell6742]

Beautiful presentation once again Lesley! I found your link while looking up Wood Duck calls. I am hoping to once again have Wood Ducks nest in my box this year. ( It has been a few years since that happened-old box) I was very excited to have a female arrive today and spend 15 minutes checking out my new box that was a new installation last year , replacing a previously successful box that had been mounted too high (for maintenance) and on a tree and been overtaken by squirrels. I was able to film the male swimming in my pond below while the female was checking out the box. I sure hope she comes back to lay her eggs here. I do now have a camera mounted in the box and would love to witness this amazing process.

[@andreamarin4296]

We have two pairs of wood ducks come each year and have out with the mallards. Last year we had one male only though who hung out with the mallard gang for a long time. Usually the male will hang back on the bank while the female will wander in our backyard looking for food. Adorable. Especially when they take off and make that cute peeping call. We have a pair of ganders also. Last year we saw 12 chicks swimming behind their mother. Such a beautiful sight!

[@connieclum8470]

Enjoyed your duck videos,learned a lot, thanks Lesley☮️😊🦆☮️🦆☮️🦆😊❤️

[@101mercenary]

putting up two wood duck boxes this year on my ponds! They're there every year and im happy to give them a new home.

[@wiz4424]

Wood ducks look really cool. They fly fast which makes them fun to shoot. They are quite tasty to eat too!!

[@tamipalin8171]

I'm fortunate to live in a condo complex with a very large pond system in the center. We have dozens of wood ducks, and it's fascinating to watch them. They seem to be very social, and move as one large group.

[@ronmack1767]

Enjoyed the video Lesley. What a beautiful duck. That was very interesting. Thanks for the video and you take care and God bless.

[@YinYogawithTrishy]

Lesley, I'm so glad that they never became extinct because they are beautiful!! I have never seen one before so your video was awesome!! Btw, I love the kitty pic you sent with the different colour eyes, so cute!! I tried to write you back but kept getting errors!!! Have a wonderful weekend beautiful!!! :D

[@QualeQualeson]

Anatidaephobia: Fear of a duck watching, is a phobia that originated from the "Far Side" comic strips by Gary Larson. People who suffer from this phobia have the notion that no matter where they are or what they do, a duck is observing them. This becomes so stressful that it robs them of their sleep and gives them severe anxiety. Before the comic strip, this wasn't a "real" thing, but apparently now that the idea is out there, it is.

[@ArleneDKatz]

Thank you ❤️

[@hondrta]

Seen a wood duck in the river with my daughter a few days ago… December 2023 here in central PA… beautiful duck. Never saw one before until then.. didn’t know what they were called till now. Thank you.

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

Thank you for all you do 🤗