Widely recognized as Minnesota's most beautiful duck, the Wood Duck stands out not just with its looks, but with its habits.
As Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Ed Zlonis points out, Wood Ducks are evolutionary oddballs: they are the only members of their genus native to Minnesota, and the only other member of their genus is the Mandarin Duck.
They are also the only native Minnesota birds in the "perching duck" tribe, which is distinguished by their long, clawed toes — perfect for perching in trees.
These ducks don't just perch in trees — they nest in them. After Minnesota was logged in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Wood Duck numbers plummeted. The population recovered throughout the mid-1900s due to the proliferation of human-provided nest boxes, and now, the population has ample tree cavities available for nesting (thanks to the efforts of Pileated Woodpeckers).
Learn more about this fascinating species from Ed Zlonis and producer Mark Jacobs by listening to the full interview above!
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The Tuesday KAXE Morning Show strives to take an in-depth look at some natural resource-based issues important to Northern Minnesota. Producer Mark Jacobs and hosts Heidi Holtan and John Latimer discuss the problems and highlight some creative solutions.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
