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Aix sponsa
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Lucas Aguilar (laguilar)
![Silver Note Writer [C: 0 W: 0 N: 54]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/n-n-s.gif) (181) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2005-09-17 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Olympus Camedia C-765 UZ |
| Exposure: f/3.7, 1/320 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2005-10-19 3:37 |
| Viewed: 1400 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Spanish] |
WOOD DUCK
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aix
Species: Aix sponsa
Mass: 500 to 700 g
Length: 47 to 54 cm
Wingspan: 70 to 73 cm
Breeding interval: In southern areas it is common for wood ducks to produce two broods in one breeding season.
Breeding season: Breeding occurs in February and early March in the south and mid-March to mid April in the northern areas.
Eggs per season: 6 to 15
Time to hatching: 30 days (average)
Time to fledging: 24 hours (average)
Time to independence: 56 to 70 days
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 years (average)
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years (average)
Longest known lifespan in wild: 15 years (high)
Expected lifespan in wild: 3-4 years (average)
Known predators:
* great horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
* mink (Genus Mustela)
* raccoons (Procyon lotor)
* red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
* gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
* alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)
* black rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta)
Wood ducks are small to medium sized birds. Both male and female adults have a crest on their head, a rectangular shaped tail, white bellies and white lines on the back of the wings. Males are 48 to 54 cm long, while females are 47 to 51 cm long. Their wingspans are 70 to 73 cm long and they weigh between 500 and 700 g. The sexes are dimorphic. The males' heads are iridescent green, blue and purple and have two white lines that are parallel and run from the base of the bill and behind the eye to the back of the head. Male wood ducks also have red eyes, red at the base of the bill, rust-colored chests, bronze sides and black backs and tails. The females are brownish to gray and have white eye rings, white throats and gray chests. Juvenile wood ducks resemble adult females. Wood ducks are sometimes mistaken for American widgeons (Anas americana) when flying because the white lines that wood ducks have at the back of their wings are not visible. Also female wood ducks are mistaken for female Mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata). The difference lies in the Mandarin duck's lighter gray head and less distinctive eye patch.
Aix sponsa moves around by walking, flying and swimming. Wood ducks are diurnal and with the exception of females with ducklings, they sleep on the water. They are social animals and often congregate in the evening and migrate in pairs or small flocks. Although they are not territorial, their defense mechanisms to protect mates include chasing, pecking and hitting. Battles are often short. To threaten another bird, they jerk and jab their beaks. It is assumed that males are dominant over females, and adults are dominant over young birds.
Wood ducks are omnivores.
From the zoo de Jerez de la Frontera. |
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Madre nos explicas todo y más sobre esta maravilla :D. Esta no la he encontrado por Cataluña :). Me encanta los colores. Por ponerte un pero... tal vez le veo algo de ruido, pero puede ser cosa de mi monitor ;). Un gran trabajo Lucas :D. Un saludo desde Sant Joan Despi (Barcelona)
