Wood ducks are cavity nesters. They nest in already existing large holes in trees or will also use nest boxes. It’s always interesting to see a duck in a tree.

Wood ducklings jump from the nest when they are only about 24 hours old. They follow their mother to the water. They may fall a distance of up to 60 feet up without injury. The nest cavity averages 25 feet up. It is usually close to water, but could be as much as a mile from water.

Female wood ducks will sometimes lay their eggs in another female’s nest to be raised by that hen (egg dumping).

Loons cannot walk on land. They cannot walk on land because their feet are so far back on their bodies. They are built to be in the water, swimming and diving. They do nest on land, but their nests are on the water’s edge or on human build floating platforms. Sadly sometimes they land on wet parking lots assuming it’s a lake and they can be stranded if not rescued.