Conservation Success Story – Wood Ducks

In Conservation, it is important to have a long term perspective. In 2015, Edward L Rose Conservancy partnered with Rockwell Collins for a Green Communities grant involving the construction of nesting boxes. Some of those boxes were designed for Wood Duck nesting.

The cedar construction of the nesting boxes included a predator shield to block access to the box from snakes, raccoons, and other egg stealing animals.

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This week some of the boxes were monitored and a recently used nest was found. The interior of the box had a soft nest of feathers and open egg shells. The box design included a series of grooves in the front wall that could be used as a ladder by the ducklings to climb to the oval opening. The opening in the box was shaped to match the shape of the mother wood duck body. An amazing feat is that the ducklings climb to the nest box opening and then jump to the ground.

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The evidence found in the nesting box indicates a successful breeding, and the cameras on the floating platforms nearby confirmed that Wood Ducks have successfully nested in the provided environment. A mother Wood Duck and a brood of 10 ducklings was observed using both floating platforms this week.

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A successful conservation story. Come and join us in enhancing the local native landscape, protecting wildlife and wild places.
We have shared a video clip of the Wood Duck family on Youtube at:

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