From the confines of a photography blind, I've watched on several occasions as broods of tiny day-old wood ducks leapt into life from nesting boxes I maintain on my property.
Bill Marchel: How I got this photo of a baby wood duck
A rite of passage is something to behold at the mouth of nesting box.
April 23, 2015 at 10:21PM
The baby wood ducks appear as if by magic at the entrance to the box, using their sharp nails to scale the box wall. The ducklings usually pause for a moment before the big jump. Their stubby wings extended, the descending black-and-yellow balls of fuzz resemble giant bumblebees. Ones that are too heavy to fly. Yet, the little ducks bounce and tumble when they hit the ground. Their thick down and a perfect ratio of surface area to body weight seem to ensure a gentle, injury-free landing. In a minute or two, a dozen or so ducklings will leap, leaving the nesting box empty.
The event is unforgettable.
For the photo with this column, I was nestled in a blind that I had placed near a small pond. Through a tiny port in the blind, I had my camera trained toward the opening in the nesting box.
In spring, hen wood ducks seek natural tree cavities or man-made boxes in which to lay their eggs. The latter are for sale at stores selling bird feeding supplies. Also, you can build your own using plans available from state or federal wildlife agencies.
The following bit of wood duck biology will help increase your odds of witnessing the young wood ducks:
In late April and early May, a hen wood duck will begin looking for possible nesting sites. Usually accompanied by at least one drake, she will fly from cavity to cavity or nest box to nest box until she finds a home to her liking.
The hen normally lays an egg a day, but she occasionally skips a day. Egg-laying is almost always done in the morning. The drake will wait nearby while the hen goes about her task, which takes about a half-hour. Contrary to what many believe, the hen does not start incubation until her clutch is complete, usually with 10 to 12 eggs.
After laying five or so eggs, the hen will pluck fine down feathers from her breast and use them and wood shavings to cover her eggs. By the time the clutch is complete, the blanket of down will be about 2 inches thick.
When the hen is done producing eggs, the drake wood duck will abandon the hen because his services are no longer needed. Once incubation begins, the hen will leave her nest in morning and late afternoon to eat.
The eggs hatch about 30 days after incubation. The little ducks will remain in the nesting box or cavity for only a day or so before taking their giant leap, typically in early morning.
With a little luck, I was there to photograph the exciting event on several occasions.
Bill Marchel, an outdoors writer and photographer, lives near Brainerd.
