Unlike most ducks, wood ducks build nests in trees

When most people think of ducks, they probably think of birds that quack and live on water. Well, most ducks don't quack and some nest in trees! Let's take a close look at one of our local tree ducks, the wood duck.

The wood duck is one of the most beautiful species of waterfowl to be found on the planet. The male, in particular, is a spectacular bird.

In the spring, he has an iridescent green and purple crested head, red eyes, white throat and burgundy breast. The female, who also sports a crested head, has a distinctive white patch around the eye.

Compared to some other waterfowl, the wood duck floats high on the water. This works out well since most of a wood duck's diet is made up of seeds and aquatic plants. It does not need to dive for dinner.

Should you come upon a group of woodies that suddenly take flight, you will probably hear their wings whistling by. You might also detect a distinct, squealing “oo-eek, oo-eek” call. These high-intensity vocalizations are made by the hens and used to keep in contact with the other ducks.

Unlike some water birds, such as herons, that build stick nests in trees, wood ducks use cavities. Since they aren't equipped to excavate their own holes, they use preexisting openings.

The majority of suitable nest cavities develop when large branches break, leading to the development of heart rot in the tree's trunk. Types of trees that provide such cavities include elm, ash, maple and aspen.

Selecting the right cavity is done, not surprisingly, by the hen. Unless she simply returns to last year's nest, the search starts early in the morning and can last for hours. Ideally, the cavity should be 30 feet or more above the ground, although lower ones are often used. The depth of the cavity averages just under two feet.

These birds will also use nest boxes. You can build one yourself; plans are available at various websites, including woodducksociety.com.

Ducklings are precocial, which means their eyes are open and they are covered with downy feathers as soon as they hatch. By the end of their first day, the ducklings are ready to walk, climb and feed themselves. You could say that they hit the ground running, which is exactly what they do.

The hen's brood, numbering from nine to 14, usually leaves in the morning, about 24 hours after hatching. Of course, they don't jump until the hen has scanned the area for trouble. If the coast is clear, she flies down to the ground or water below and softly calls “kuk, kuk, kuk.”

This is the cue for the ducklings to leap from the cavity. Given the heights they fall from, the young are surprisingly resilient, literally bouncing off the ground.

Once on terra firma, they can have quite a hike ahead of them. Some nest trees are up to a mile away from the nearest water.

Duck watching is one of the joys of springtime. It is a healthy distraction from pandemic concerns. This brings to mind the opening lines of “Ducks,” a poem by F.W. Harvey:

From troubles of the world

I turn to ducks,

Beautiful comical things

Sleeping or curled

Their heads beneath white wings

By water cool,

Or finding curious things

To eat in various mucks

Beneath the pool ...

Mark Spreyer is the executive director at Stillman Nature Center in Barrington. Email him at stillnc@wildblue.net.