A dedicated mother

The wood duck drake is a very beautiful bird, sporting an iridescent, colorful design and a majestic head crest.

Everything about him is spectacular, right down to his red eye.

His mate is inconspicuous by comparison. Her colors are drab, but there is a reason. She tends to the safety of her newly hatched brood, and her dull colors blend well with the natural surroundings.

A female wood duck can lay more than a dozen eggs in her nest over a period of several days before she sits. This assures that several of the eggs will hatch within hours of each other. After hatching, the hen is very attentive as her offspring grow.

When they are big enough to fly, she loses control of them and they fend for themselves. Young ducks are often caught by hawks and eagles.