Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
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Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

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DESCRIPTION: Wood ducks, both male and female adults, have a crest on their head, a rectangular shaped tail, white bellies and white lines on the back of the wings.  The sexes are dimorphic; males’ heads are iridescent green, blue and purple.  Males also have red eyes, rust-colored chests, bronze sides and black backs and tails.  Females are brownish to gray and have white eye rings, white throats and gray chests. 

Wood ducks weigh an average of 1 to 1 ½ pounds.  They are about 18 to 21 inches long, with males being larger than females.  They have a wingspan of approximately 28 inches.

RANGE:  Found on the east coast of North America from Nova Scotia south to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.  They extend westward to the center of the U.S.  They are also found from British Columbia to the Mexican border on the west coast.

HABITAT:  Occupy a variety of habitats including woodland areas along lakes, rivers, creeks and various other freshwater vegetated wetland areas. 
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DIET:  Omnivorous – feed on nuts, fruits, aquatic plants & seeds, aquatic insects and other invertebrates. 

FAMILY LIFE:  Wood ducks pair up in late winter and breed in early spring.  Females are attached to males’ calls and attractive breeding plumage.  They build nests in the cavities of trees or nest boxes provided by humans.

Females lay 6 to 15 eggs.  It is not uncommon for a nest to have more eggs, as females with lay their eggs in another female’s nest (a behavior called egg-dumping).  Eggs are incubated for 30 days and chicks leve the nest within 24 hours of hatching.

LIFE SPAN:  Typically do not live past the age of 4 in the wild; can reach teens in human care.

STATUS:  Least Concern
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​203-394-6565
​info@beardsleyzoo.org 
1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610
Open 9am-4pm daily
​Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is dedicated to acquainting a diverse public to the delicate balance that exists between living things and their environment.

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is a 501(c)(3) not for profit owned and operated by the Connecticut Zoological Society.

2019 Kids Out and About #1
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Connecticut - Still Revolutionary
Weekly Best of Fairfield County Readers' Poll 2014
FC Buzz Events - Arts & Culture of Fairfield County
© 2022 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
  • Home
  • About
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Jobs
    • Press
  • Guest Info
    • Accessibility
    • Calendar
    • COVID Guidelines
    • For Kids >
      • Coloring Pages
      • Zoo Patrol
      • Zoo Tots
    • Our Animals >
      • Eastern Rat Snake
    • Our Plants
    • Parents
    • Zoo Cams >
      • Outdoor Red Panda Cam
      • Indoor Red Panda Cam
      • Outdoor Spider Monkey Cam
      • Indoor Spider Monkey Cam
      • Otter Cam
    • Zoo Etiquette
    • Zoo Map
  • Membership
  • Education
    • Citizen Science >
      • FrogWatch
      • MonarchWatch
    • Conservation >
      • City Nature Challenge
      • Conservation Pledge
    • Cool Blue >
      • Cool Blue Schools
    • Programs
    • Educational Resources
    • Evening Lectures
    • Field Trips
    • Just 4 Teens >
      • CDC
      • Explorers
    • Teachers
  • Support
    • Animal Sponsorship
    • Appeal
    • Corporate Support
    • Donate
    • Events
    • Gift Guide
    • Honor & Remember
    • Monthly Giving
    • Naming Opportunities
    • Wish List
  • Parties, Rentals & Weddings
    • Birthdays
    • Private Events
    • Weddings
    • Rates and Details
    • Preferred Vendors
    • Preferred Wedding Vendors
    • Event Guidelines
  • Volunteer
    • Interns
  • En Espanol
  • Buy Tickets