Ray and Kenny installing Wood Duck box.
Photo by Gerco Hoogewetg

Wood Ducks are fairly common ducks of wooded ponds, rivers, and creeks and can be found year round in Loudoun County. The male Wood Duck is among our most beautiful duck with its drooping iridescent green crest, bright red eyes and black-and-white neck.  The female is has duller plumage and is most easily recognized by the comet-shaped white eye ring. Wood Ducks are cavity nesting birds that take advantage of old woodpecker nests, or natural tree cavities caused by disease, fire or lightning. They will gladly use a nesting box as long as it is placed on a tree near water or on a pole near or in standing water. A clear flight path to the opening is desired.

In the past few years we’ve seen Wood Ducks visiting the vernal pools at JK Black Oak Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary, especially early in the migration season when the pools are full of water. This year we hope to entice them to stay and breed. On February 19, Ray Wagner and Kenny Stocks installed two cedar nesting boxes that were built and donated by Wagner’s Custom Cabinets Millwork, in Lucketts. Ray is a member of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and an active volunteer at JK Black Oak. We look forward to seeing Wood Ducks their new homes.

To protect the environmentally sensitive habitat and rare species, JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary is not open for general public access.

Wood Duck box at Le Sabre pool.
Photo by Gerco Hoogeweg