When swimming, wood ducks tap their heads back in a jerking motion. The wood duck is a colorful duck found in wooded swamps, rivers, lakes and stream sides. Among the insects wood duck eat are: seeds, acorns, fruits and invertebrates. Wood ducks are known to move rapidly in the water and dabble on water surfaces with their beaks for food items submerged in the water.

Wood ducks hatch covered in down and able to leave the nest soon after. The eggs are glossy creamy white to tan. After hatching, the baby ducklings jump from the nest tree and make their way into the water. These popular game birds may jump from heights of up to 89 meters (290 feet without injury).

While the wood duck hardly ever uses nest boxes, the female, on the other hand, will lay eggs in the nest of other females if the nest boxes are placed too close together.

In the late 19th century, the population of wood ducks declined tremendously, but recovered thereafter. The popular game birds are shot every year.

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