Wood Duck
Regulated Hunting and Adaptive Management
When
populations of the handsome Wood Duck began to plummet in the late 19th
century from over-hunting and loss of wetland habitat, many North
American ornithologists predicted that the species would soon become
extinct. However, several decades of closed hunting seasons for Wood
Ducks allowed the species to recover dramatically, and today it occurs
over a wider area of North America than ever.
Wood Ducks are now hunted again, and it is the actions by, and on
behalf of, these hunters that have resulted in large-scale conservation
of wetlands.
Go to the All About Birds species account for Wood Duck for more information on this beautiful and fascinating bird.
One factor that has aided the Wood Duck's recovery to historically high
population levels is its high reproductive rate. Females typically lay
10 to 14 eggs, and some may deposit eggs in other Wood Duck nests
before laying full clutches of their own.
In many locations artificial nest boxes have helped the Wood Duck's
recovery by providing nest sites where tree cavities, the bird's
natural choice, are unavailable.