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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Carolina Wood Duck (Aix sponsa - Pronounced aiks SPON-sa)
Also known as: Acorn duck, bridal duck, Carolina duck, Carolina wood duck, squealer, summer duck, swamp duck, the bride, tree duck, wood wigeon, woody.
What does it mean: "Betrothed water bird." Aiks means "water bird" in Greek. Sponsa is Latin for "betrothed." This is in reference to its beautiful plumage, as though it were dressed for a wedding.
Why is it called a "wood" duck: "Wood" refers to the wood duck's habit of nesting in the cavities of trees.
Where do they live: The wood duck prefers sheltered waters, wooded swamps, and ponds but can also be found in open swamps or marshes. It is seldom found in salt water. The wood duck nests in the natural cavities of trees and sometimes in old nests of the pileated woodpecker. If no wooded area can be found it will nest on the ground, but this is highly unusual. It prefers a location five to 40 feet above the ground, or water, and within 200 yards of water.
How many subspecies are there: There are no subspecies of wood duck.
How big are they: Males are between 17 and 21 inches in length and females are between 17 and 20 inches. The wingspread is slightly more than 28 inches in both sexes. Males and females weigh between 1 and 2 pounds, females are usually lighter.
How long do they live: One wood duck lived 17 years, 7 months and another 22 years, 6 months. A study estimated the annual mortality rate at 77% for newborns. The average life expectancy for wood ducks is 1.2 years.
How fast can they fly: The fastest speed recorded in one study was 55 miles per hour; the slowest 39 miles per hour. The average flight speed has been measured as 47.1 miles per hour.
What do they eat: Ninety percent of the wood duck's diet is plant matter and 10% is animal matter, consisting mostly of insects. Aquatic plants such as wild rice, pond weed, and wild celery make up the bulk of its diet. Wood ducks eat more fruits and nuts than any other American duck, particularly acorns (Hester and Dermid 1973). One study found 56 acorns in a wood duck's crop (a storage place in some bird's necks) and .
The above information obtained from http://home.sou.edu/~rible/wildlife/woodduck.htm
Image Information
Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 3:52 p.m.
Date: 27th March 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Sigma 80-400mm OS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/750
F-Stop: F/5.6
Flash: No
Tripod: No
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 400 |
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