Did you know? Cavity-nesting ducks

May 22, 2012 in Ducks and Did You Know...? with 6 comments

With their special water-resistant plumage, ducks are made for water. But did you know that several species of duck actually require trees when it comes to breeding? Some ducks are cavity nesters. We've recently added one of these cute little cavity-nesting ducks to Birdorable. The Bufflehead is one of the smallest species of duck to live in North America. They're just about 14 inches long, and they use cavities excavated by Northern Flicker woodpeckers! They also use nestboxes, as in the photo below.

Besides the Bufflehead, some other ducks that nest in cavities or nest boxes are: Hooded Merganser; Black-bellied Whistling Duck; Wood Duck; Common Goldeneye; and Common Merganser.

Comments

Tough Titmouse on May 22, 2012 at 2:56 PM wrote:

Hooray! A new birdorable! BTW, I didn't know.

Tough Titmouse on May 22, 2012 at 2:57 PM wrote:

I like how you put the little ducklings with their mommy...

Tough Titmouse on May 22, 2012 at 8:23 PM wrote:

Too cute!

tom price on July 28, 2016 at 9:54 AM wrote:

I built a duck box and was rewarded with a family of cavity dwelling ducks each and every year until a raccoon pretty much destroyed the box, I highly suggest building one according to specifications and you'll enjoy it as much as I have

Louise Warner on February 20, 2017 at 6:18 PM wrote:

what about leather backs? don't they nest in houses?

ET Robinson on April 17, 2025 at 9:39 PM wrote:

Barrow's Goldeneye too!

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