Wood Ducks in the Vernal Pool

Some may remember a post from March detailing the installation of a wood duck box in our nearby vernal pool. There has been a game camera monitoring the box 24/7 since it was put in. It has documented raccoons, gray foxes, mallard ducks, and wood frogs but until recently no wood ducks. Last Thursday, the camera finally captured the species we had been targeting.

A pair of wood ducks in the vernal pool near the nesting box. 

Vernal pools provide important habitat for more than just amphibians. There are a variety of reptiles, birds, and mammals that rely on these seasonal areas for food and shelter. It is also easy to overlook the countless species of invertebrates that live in and around the pool. Wood ducks use vernal pools as secluded areas to feed and rest. This pair was busy feeding on the plant material and invertebrates in the pool. The drake (male) was captured later on in the foreground feeding amongst the vegetation. 

A handsome drake wood duck feeds in the vernal pool.

The drake wood duck is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful birds in North America. They are acrobatic in the air and just as comfortable flying through the forest as they are over an open marsh. I often use this species in class when teaching about Sexual Dimorphism. This occurs males and females of the same species look strikingly different. The male wood duck has evolved its colorful plumage over the eons in response to traits sought after by hens (females) while selecting a mate. The healthiest and most colorful drakes are more likely to pass on their genes continuing mother nature's slow motion race to perfection. The hen's drab coloration helps her to blend in with the surroundings while rearing ducklings. To date, there has been no interest in the nest box but I will be sure to keep you posted if that is to change.