Ashley and Crippen Photographers, Toronto|Corporate Headshots/Executive Headshots 

Birds

Wood Duck

The Wood Duck is widely regarded as one of American’s most beautiful water birds. It is widespread across much of the country at different times during the year, although it is rarely seen in its breeding grounds during the winter. One of the few ducks to roost high up in trees, it makes its nest up to 50 feet above the ground, lining a cavity in the tree with soft down; it also uses nesting boxes. The nest holds 8-14 eggs, which are incubated by the female bird for 28-32 days. The young birds leave the nest soon after hatching, dropping down from the nest to follow their mother to water, although they are not able to fly until around 7 weeks. The male adult has a glossy green and purple head with a long, downswept crest, bold black and white face pattern, chestnut breast, buff flanks and a black back. The female is gray-brown with paler spots on the flanks, a small crest, dark back and a teardrop-shaped white patch around the eye. The juvenile resembles the female. The Wood Duck eats aquatic plants, nuts, fruit, insects, small fish and crustaceans.