Pennsylvania Duck Facts

Wood Duck

• Wood ducks live in Pennsylvania all year. They nest in trees that are near water and feed on 80 percent plant material such as water lilies, seeds, grass and millet. This breed of duck is the only one in North America that can produce two separate broods per year, usually in batches of six to 14 eggs. One distinct behavior of the wood duck is that it is not very territorial and about half of all female wood ducks raise the offspring of other ducks.

Mallard

• The mallard is one of the most recognized of all duck breeds and lives in Pennsylvania during the winter. The male duck has a green iridescent head. The female is all brown with streaks of white; her coloring makes it easier to hide from predators. This large duck is found in all wetland habitats and consumes aquatic insects and vegetation by filter feeding on the surface of the water. Female ducks incubate and raise the chicks, who are then independent from their parents after about two months.

American Black Duck

• The American black duck occupies Pennsylvania year-round in the eastern part of the state; however, in the western part of the state, it is only present during the winter months. The American black duck is primarily a northeastern bird that breeds in wetlands during the summer. The American black duck is similar to the mallard but usually has a vibrantly colored speculum on its folded wing. These ducks eat aquatic insects and vegetation through shallow diving.

Conservation

• Excessive hunting and industrialization have led to declining numbers in some populations of ducks. In Pennsylvania, the Ducks Unlimited organization works with several government agencies to help preserve duck species in the state. Their goal is to conserve acres of habitat and increase population numbers by limiting the number of ducks that can be hunted.