Originally posted by Racer X 69 A duck in a tree? I never.
In case you don't know the species, wood ducks, the drakes being the most colorful waterfowl in NA*, nest if hollows high up in trees. Nest boxes for them are placed on poles out in ponds, typically about three to five feet above the water. The little chicks just tumble out when they are big enough, landing either in the water or on the forest floor. They are fluffy enough and light enough that only rarely is one injured by the drop. Needless to say, once out, they never return to the nest unless they use it for breeding the following year.
* As I've posted several times, drake wood ducks, also drake Mandarin ducks, were invented by a kid with a new box of 64 Crayolas