Conservation status: Good and an inspiring conservation success story.
The drastic declines in Wood Duck populations noted by hunters and birders at the turn of the century were due to the wholesale destruction of bottomland hardwood forests, this duck's primary breeding and wintering habitat. Uncontrolled market hunting was another major contributor to the Wood Duck's close brush with extinction.
Fortunately, the enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918 led to a moratorium on Wood Duck hunting across the United States. This prohibition lasted until 1940, after populations had rebounded to sustainable levels. The use of artificial nest boxes, started in the 1930s, also helped to boost Wood Duck numbers. Additional legislation, including the Pittman-Robertson Act (officially known as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937) and, in 1989, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, supported wetland and waterfowl conservation projects across the country, and helped turn around Wood Duck populations.
- Framed: 22 x 29 x 1 in (55.88 x 73.66 x 2.54 cm)
- Created: 2022
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