The Wood duck (Aix sponsa) is a beautifully distinct duck that will enrich the viewing pleasures of any landowner bird enthusiast. The shape of male and female wood ducks is distinctive due to their boxy shape, crested head, thin neck, and broad tail. Males have a bright coloration of gleaming chestnut with a glossy metallic purplish-green head, lined with white stripes, chestnut breast, red eyes, and tan sides. Drakes’ colorful markings attract females during the breeding season. In late summer, they molt and take on grayish-blue coloring. Females are a muted brown with a white speckled breast. Females have a duller coloring that resembles the juvenile wood duck coloring. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the wood duck is listed as a species of least concern with current population on the rise. The current range of the wood duck is expansive ranging all along the east coast stretching down to the south of Florida. The wood ducks’ range also stretches to the west all the way to…show more content… The habitat requirements for wood ducks have little variations throughout the seasons. The ideal habitat for a wood duck population is a wooded riparian area bordered by a water source with several types of vegetation. Hardwood species such as live oak and water elm are suitable vegetation for wood ducks. The limbs of a thick canopy provide cover overhead for ducklings, and give adults the opportunity to perch in hardwood trees during the spring and summer months. A slow moving stream, marsh swamp area, manmade pond or lake area are vital to the success of a breeding population. Vegetation is a key factor in the survival of the ducklings along with the reproduction of the females. Water lilies, cattails, arrowhead, buttonbush, lotus, bulrushes, sedges, and floating leaf pondweed are ideal for wood duck survival and