Wood Duck
(Aix sponsa)

Overview

Summary

© Rick Leche
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The Wood Duck is a secretive cavity nesting species that is commonly found in swamps, marshes and riparian habitats in Canada. In Canada, it primarily breeds in eastern provinces and mainly in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. In western Canada, the breeding population is small and found in scattered locations extending from southern British Columbia to the extreme southwest of Alberta. Once threatened with extinction, populations of Wood Duck in Canada increased since 1970; the populalation is now considered stable or may still be increasing. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Population status

Population estimate

Distribution maps

• BirdLife International / NatureServe

Migration strategy, occurrence

Responsibility for conservation of world population

Conservation and management

Nearly a century ago, extinction of the Wood Duck seemed imminent. Destruction of hardwood forests and overharvest from hunting were the two major factors that contributed to the species’ decline. A complete ban on hunting Wood Ducks was imposed between 1918 and 1941 in North America. Wood Ducks recovered and hunting seasons were reopened in early 1940s. Wood Ducks are much sought after by hunters in Canada. An average of 68 000 birds have been taken annually in Canada over the past 10 years. Harvest levels have declined compared to levels in the 1970s and 1980s, but have been stable in the last decade.

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

• conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
• stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
• management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
• other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

References

• Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (Link)