Range: Wood Ducks are permanent residents in much of their southern and northwestern breeding range; they migrate south from more northern breeding grounds. Hen wood ducks will select a suitable nesting cavity and begin laying eggs as early as late January in southern latitudes The wood duck’s breeding range includes extreme southern Canada from … Winters near Pacific Coast north to Washington, and to New … They are absent from Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. It is found in forested wetlands, riparian habitats, and freshwater marshes. Wood ducks are also found from British Columbia to the Mexican border on the west coast. Wood ducks migrating to northern breeding areas are paired prior to their arrival in early spring. Fulda, Minnesota has adopted the wood duck as an unofficial mascot, and a large number of nest boxes can be found in the area. Wood Duck Basics. The Wood Duck, also known as Carolina Duck, is one of the most beautiful duck species from North America. Field marks: Breeding males have a purple-green iridescent head, long crest, red eyes, and ornate white stripes on the head, neck, and body. The Wood Duck is the most common nesting duck in Tennessee, and many consider it to be the most beautiful of North America’s waterfowl. Range/Habitat: The Wood Duck breeds from British Columbia south to California, and from Montana east to Nova Scotia and south to Texas and Florida. The Wood Duck is a cavity nester and where cavities are scarce, it readily accepts nest boxes. Fortunately, wood ducks readily accept manmade next boxes in place of natural cavities. Description Here are the characteristic features of their appearance […] Wood duck nest cavities are sometimes in short supply. The American Wood Duck is a close relative of the Aix galericulata or Asian Mandarin Duck. They are not to be confused with the Australian Wood Duck. [citation needed] Expanding North American beaver populations throughout the wood duck's range have also helped the population rebound as beavers create an ideal forested wetland habitat for wood ducks. Geographic Range. Aix sponsa is found on the east coast of North America from Nova Scotia in the north, to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico in the south, and west to the center of the United States. Birds in the eastern part of the range migrate southeast in the winter.