Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is in the Ducks, Geese, and Swans family (Anatidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 85,742 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Wood Duck: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wood Duck
The wood duck or Carolina duck (Aix sponsa) is a species of perching duck found in North America. The drake wood duck is one of the most colorful North American waterfowl.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wood Duck by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 9,651 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Texas | 8,130 | April | Jan–Oct |
| Ohio | 5,777 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Washington | 5,255 | June | Mar–Oct |
| Minnesota | 4,705 | April | Apr–Sep |
| New York | 4,532 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Illinois | 4,173 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Florida | 3,454 | April | Jan–Jun |
| Maryland | 3,342 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Oregon | 3,112 | May | Jan–Nov |
| Pennsylvania | 3,029 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Virginia | 2,661 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 2,548 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Michigan | 2,231 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 2,085 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Vermont | 1,572 | April | Mar–Sep |
| New Mexico | 1,384 | April | Aug–May |
| Idaho | 1,229 | November | Oct–Sep |
| Louisiana | 1,208 | April | Feb–May |
| New Jersey | 1,138 | April | Mar–Oct |
| North Carolina | 1,124 | April | Feb–Jul |
| Tennessee | 1,115 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Colorado | 1,063 | April | Apr–Oct |
| Indiana | 985 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Missouri | 724 | April | Mar–Sep |
| South Carolina | 720 | April | Dec–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 662 | August | Mar–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 590 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Georgia | 575 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Utah | 537 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Connecticut | 511 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Alabama | 499 | March | Jan–Jun |
| Kansas | 477 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Nebraska | 458 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Arkansas | 444 | July | Mar–Oct |
| Arizona | 421 | January | Dec–Nov |
| Maine | 411 | August | Apr–Oct |
| South Dakota | 368 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Nevada | 358 | January | Sep–Apr |
| Delaware | 353 | July | Mar–Sep |
| West Virginia | 340 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Iowa | 322 | April | Mar–Aug |
| Kentucky | 298 | April | Feb–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 274 | April | Mar–May |
| Mississippi | 263 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Alaska | 167 | March | Oct–Mar |
| Montana | 160 | April | Apr–Aug |
| Rhode Island | 146 | April | Mar–Sep |
| North Dakota | 125 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Wyoming | 36 | April | Apr–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
Mallard
Canada Goose
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
American Wigeon
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wood Duck?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to October.
Where is Wood Duck most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Ohio.