What is the Mississippi State Waterfowl?
Mississippi titled the wood duck as the official state waterfowl of Mississippi in 1974. Wood ducks possess quite a few features that are uncommon in the duck family.Wood ducks make their nests in the tree holes.The ducklings must jump from the nest to get to water after they hatch. They have the ability to jump from a nest 50 feet above ground-level without getting hurt. Wood duckshave strong claws. They are one of few duck species with this feature. This claw allows them to hold bark and to settle in trees. Wood ducks are generally found along brooks and rivers. They favor swamplands and freshwater marshes.
State Waterfowl of Mississippi Facts —
- Common name: Wood duck
- Scientific name: Aix sponsa
- Habitat: wooded swamps, marshes, streams, beaver ponds, and small lakes.
- Diet: seeds, fruits, insects and other arthropods
- Song and Calls: Female makes loud “oo-eek, oo-eek” when disturbed and taking flight.
- Weight: 454-862 g
- Length: 47-54 cm
- Wingspan: 66-73cm
- Average lifespan: 3-4 years
- Incubation period: 28-37 days
The Mississippi state waterfowl, the Wood Duck builds their nests in trees close to water, occasionally openly over water, but various times over a mile away. After emerging, the baby ducks jump down from the nest tree and rush to the water. The mother calls them relentlessly, but they go to the water in any way. The baby ducks can jump from heights of over 50 feet devoid ofany damage.Regularhollows for nesting are uncommon, and the Wood Duck willingly uses nest boxes delivered for it.
If nest boxes are located too close together, numerous females lay eggs in the nests of other female ducks.Wood Ducks mate in January, and maximum birds inward bound at the upbringingareas in the spring are by nowcoupled. The Wood Duck is the only North American duck that frequentlyyields two babies in one year. Wood ducks live almost 3-4 years generally. The oldest Wood Duck on record was a male and at least 22 years, 6 months old.Wood Ducks consume seeds, fruits, insects and other arthropods. When marine foods are unattainable they cantake a liking to dry land to consume acorns and other nuts from jungles and scrap from meadows.
Diet readingspoint outmanyinconsistency, but plant resourcesconstitute 80% or more of what the types eats. Instances of food eaten comprise acorns, soybeans, smartweed, water primrose, panic grass, duckweed, millet, water lily, blackberries and wild cherries, in addition to flies, beetles, caterpillars, isopods, and snails.Wood Ducks forage by fiddling or short, trivial dives. They are sturdy fliers and can grasp speeds of 30 mph.
Wood Ducks are not defensive, with the exclusion that a male canrepel other males that approach his companion too closely. Wooing males swim afore a female with wings and tail raised, sometimes sloping the head in reverse for a few seconds. Males may also do ritualized swallowing, grooming, and quivering movements. A female duck typically lay 10-11 eggs per clutch, but several nests have been found comprising 29 eggs, the consequence of egg-dumping.
Mississippi state waterfowl, the Wood Ducks grow well in bottomland forests, swamps, freshwater marshes, and beaver ponds. They are also typical along streams of all sizes, from creeks to rivers, and the extent of these make them asignificanthome. Wood Ducks appear to fare best when open water substitutes with 50–75% vegetative cover that the ducks can hide and feed in. The law designating the Wood Duck as the official Mississippi state waterfowlis (Section 3-3-25.
State waterfowl.) of the Mississippi Code, specifically Title 3 (STATE SOVEREIGNTY, JURISDICTION AND HOLIDAYS) Chapter 3 (STATE BOUNDARIES, HOLIDAYS, AND STATE EMBLEMS) Section 3-3-25.
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