Wood Duck
Wood Duck has risen sharply: up 62% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Wood Duck
The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is a North American member of the Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (Anatidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the waterfowl.
- Size
- 12–43.5 in long (30–110 cm) — a medium to large waterfowl (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, dabbled at the surface or dived for.
- Range
- Recorded on 2,318 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 48 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Wood Duck TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Wood Duck has risen sharply in surveyed states: up 62% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Wood Duck Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Wood Duck is projected to rise about 41% by 2029 — from 0.31 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.44 (95% range 0.29–0.58). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±36.8%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Wood Duck Is Detected
BBS routes recording Wood Duck, sized by most recent count.
Wood Duck Population Trend by State
Wood Duck Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Wood Duck Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 62% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.