SALEM TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan has named the wood duck as the state's very first official duck, a bird that turns heads with its rare beauty and fascinating habits.
Matthew Lyson founded the Michigan Duck Rescue 20 years ago. With more than a thousand ducks and geese on site, he is happy with the recent decision to make the wood duck the state duck.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below:
"I think ducks are cool," Lyson said. "People can start appreciating the wonder of them."
Lyson praises the duck's color, calling it one of a kind in North America. Similar to the mallard, male wood ducks are more colorful than females.
"And that’s nature's design. So when she’s nesting, she’s less likely to be spotted," Lyson said.
Lyson said he once saw a wood duck trying to blend in with some geese. However, being on the ground is not where you would find them nesting.
"The wood ducks nest in trees quite often. That’s actually how they got their name the wood duck," Lyson said.
When a baby wood duck weighs no more than an ounce, it will jump 20 or more feet from the nest in its tree to follow its mother into its newfound life.
"Bounce right back up and bam, they’re gone," Lyson said.
Capable of having more than 12 babies at a time, Lyson describes the wood duck as resilient. The species survived the 19th century, when they were a popular source of food and often used for clothing, nearly becoming extinct because of it. More laws have since come into place to protect the bird over the years.
"Wood ducks are an exceptional bird," Lyson said.
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