[Length 18.5 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This hen Wood Duck was photographed at Lakeside Park, Andrews, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: December 29, 2008)

[Length 18.5 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This male Wood Duck in flight was photographed at Cheyenne Bottoms WMA, Great Bend, Kansas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 15, 2010)

[Length 18.5 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

The male Wood Duck is perhaps the most beautifully colored of all of North America's waterfowl. It is called the "Wood" Duck because it is almost always found on water near or in "the woods". The female builds her nest in the cavity of a tree, often more than 20 feet above the ground. When the ducklings leave the nest, they simply step out of the nest cavity opening and fall to the ground. Their fluffy down feathers and a soft layer of leaves on the ground allow them to "bounce" a few times before they follow their mother through the forest to the nearest stream or pond. This male was photographed in a small, unfrozen portion of a small lake, kept open by a wintering flock of Canada Geese and Mallards, in southeastern New York, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: February 1981)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This pair Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks was photographed at Port Aransas Birding Center, Port Aransas, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=285mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: March 4, 2006)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed along a resaca in suburban Brownsville, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: April 2000)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks was photographed at a nestbox near Rosenberg, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 2000)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This immature Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed at Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 7, 2006)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed at Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 7, 2006)

[Length 21 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was photographed at the Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=345mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: November 23, 2009)