Wood duck hen, United States
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Wood duck hen
The wood duck, pictured here, is one of the most colourful waterfowl in North America. Males dazzle with iridescent plumage, red eyes and a bold white flare down the neck, while females have a softer look, with grey-brown feathers, a white eye-ring and a pale throat. Both have a small crest on the head, and their wings show a blue-green patch edged in white.
This species has made quite a comeback after once facing steep population declines due to hunting and habitat loss. Thanks to conservation efforts and nest box programmes, they are now a regular sight in wooded swamps, marshes and lakes. While some wood ducks stay put year-round in the southern United States, northern hens migrate south when the chill sets in, heading for milder regions stretching from the southern states to Mexico.
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