wood duck male

Visit Valparaiso, IN, the Vale of Paradise, to take on the Birds of Paradise sculpture scavenger hunt beginning in 2022. Visit Valparaiso to hunt down the clues needed to find all 10 native birds species throughout downtown.

Wood Duck

Wood Ducks have some of the most distinctive and intricate color patterns of any duck species. The males have an iridescent green head with a rich brown colored chest. While the females aren’t quite as colorful, they still have intricate designs on their body and a telltale white eye spot.

These ducks are considered dabblers, which means that they will turn upside down in the water to pull vegetation from underneath the water. When they do this, all you see is their butts points straight up into the air! They are interestingly one of the only duck species with claws on their webbed feet, which help them grip logs and branches better.

Wood Ducks can be found in smaller bodies of water in wooded areas throughout Indiana. As their name suggests, they need the woods to survive. This species nests in tree cavities and as this type of habitat decreases, they rely heavily on man-made wood duck boxes. If you want to help conserve wood ducks in Indiana, consider making and installing a wood duck box in their habitat!

2022 Copyright ©  Indiana Audubon Society, Inc.

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?