Wood Duck Box Building and Placement

One of 12 volunteer projects, organized by Terradise Nature Center, as an entry of the “Feet on the Ground; Hands-on Conservation” Program. This program serves to directly involve the communities local to Caledonia, Ohio with their natural resources and wildlife conservation. Providing access to measurable efforts and meaningful change to our volunteers will ideally shift attitudes towards positive behavior for local woods and water.

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) sports a handsome plumage and whistle-call sure to capture the curiosity of all that behold it. A visitor to Ohio in the Early spring, these perching ducks are in search for tree cavities to build a cozy nest in anticipation for brooding (egg incubation). Secluded wetlands, ponds, and shallow lakes with plenty of wood to dwell is the preferred habitat for this bird.

Unregulated hunting and habitat destruction proved detrimental to the wood duck in the late 19th century. Fortunately, the wood duck can be found in far better numbers today due to the acts of conservationists and legislation (Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918).

Join Terradise, Whetstone Industries and generations of great men and women dedicated to providing habitat and viable nesting sites for these incredible ducks this March.

Terradise will be purchasing all lumber and hardware to build Wood Duck Boxes (seen below).

https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/build-a-wood-duck-box

All materials will be pre-cut and packaged into kits that you can pick up from the Nature Center and build at your leisure. If you have a location in mind to place one of these boxes, with permission, we encourage you to do so. Do not forget to update us on the progress of your project! If you are just interested in the build you may drop your box off at the Nature Center and we would be happy to place it on our property. All boxes placed on our property will be monitored throughout the spring and you will be notified of any activity.

The cost of a Wood Duck Box Kit is $10.

Wood duck boxes also encourage the nesting of eastern screech owls.

Our greatest thanks to our partners in this project and stewards of our natural resources, Whetstone Industries. With their help we will be sure to reach our objectives with this project in connecting our communities with wildlife, as well as, to construct and place 25 new wood duck boxes along waterways and wetlands in both Marion and Morrow Counties.

If you are interested in a nest box to build and place, please contact Terradise-Director, Tyler Butler, at [email protected].

Terradise Nature Center:

1536 Whetstone River Road N.
Caledonia, Ohio, 43314