The Wood Duck
Joseph M. Schaefer, Jennifer Cohen, and Mark E. Hostetler
The wood duck is one of the most colorful of all North American waterfowl, making it the most sought-after duck by hunters and birdwatchers. By the early 1900s, this highly desirable species was near extinction because of improper hunting regulations and habitat loss. With the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918, hunting of these birds was restricted. Also, wildlife officials developed a management program to increase wood duck numbers. Due to the success of this program, the wood duck is now one of the most abundant waterfowl species in North America.
