Wood Duck Diet

The wood duck, or Aix sponsa, is a species of duck native to North America including many parts of the United States. The wood duck is known for the male bird's vibrant feather coloring which is green, red and purple with white and black markings. The wood duck is most commonly found in forests and wetlands, especially near lakes, rivers and swamps. Wood ducks eat both plants and small animals.

  1. Feeding Habits

    • The wood duck commonly eats insects and plant debris from the top of the water by pecking at the water's surface with its beak. The wood duck also submerges its head, turning its body into a vertical position in the water, in order to gather food from beneath the water's surface. Wood ducks also eat by foraging on the forest floor for insects and vegetation.

    Plants

    • Approximately 90 percent of the wood duck's natural diet is made up of plant material. Though the wood duck's diet depends on what is available within its current habitat, wood ducks are known to commonly feed on pondweeds, many types of grasses, wild rice, duckweeds and sedges.

    Seeds, Nuts and Fruits

    • The wood duck feeds on seeds such as acorns and cypress seeds. Acorns are among the wood duck's most important food sources. Wood ducks also feed on a variety of wild nuts and fruits from the forest.

    Insects and Invertebrates

    • Young wood ducks need a lot of protein for proper growth. Because of this, young wood ducks commonly feed on insects such as spiders, dragonflies and beetles. A young wood duck has a higher percentage of insects in its diet than an adult wood duck. Young wood ducks also feed on aquatic invertebrates and small fish.

    Ducklings

    • After hatching from their nests in trees, baby wood ducks jump from the tree and land on the ground, usually safely. The ducklings (about 8 to 12) then follow their mother to the nearest water source such as a river or lake. There, the ducklings and their mother forage for food in a group for the first several weeks of the ducklings' lives. The ducklings must eat a lot during this period in order to store up enough fat to sustain them during their first fall migration.