We visited Santa Fe, New Mexico in early November and I spent 2.5 hours at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in Albuquerque. I was shocked to see lots of wood ducks on one of four large ponds and eating at a nearby feeder. I'd only seen wood ducks once previously at Irvine Regional Park in Southern California.
These drakes were making lots of noise and chasing both drakes and females across the water.
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| Duck races. |
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| This wood duck has both male and female characteristics. It has a portion of a rust breast with with spots, a red eye (without a white ring around it) and an orange/red bill, male characteristics; and blue back and wing feathers and a plain head that are female characteristics. |
The males look like someone gave an 8-year-old artist a line drawing and a bunch of bright crayons. Crazy that this is found in nature. There isn't much camouflage!
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