Dean M. Chriss
Photography
Male Wood Duck, Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio

Male Wood Duck, Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio

(Click image to enlarge)

The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck, (Aix sponsa) shares its genus with the Asian Mandarin Duck. Adult males have distinctive multi-colored iridescent plumage and red eyes while the female is a much less colorful brown with a white eye-ring and a whitish throat. Both adults have crested heads. When swimming wood ducks bob their head back and forth in a jerking motion making them easy to spot.