This project has been designed to aid in the restoring and/or population enhancement of the Carolina Wood Duck (Wood Duck). In some areas the population size of the Wood Duck has dwindled. This project has been designed to provide a population start and/or boost while at the same time bringing about the creation of a nesting environment that will foster continued population development over a number of years.

The effort will center around a special propagation cell (cell) designed to provide the necessities for successful Wood Duck propagation. The cell which can be constructed in various ways and sizes according to the terrain available and the degree of specificity selected will minimally provide water for swimming; prepared feed to insure the desired nutritional level; wind breaks for sun and wind protection; suitable nest aids; and a selected level of predator protection. Several cell options which will support these characteristics will be discussed later. The apron around the cell will minimally provide prepared feed matching the desired nutritional level; suitable nest aids; selected level of predator protection for a distance appropriate to the terrain; and an apron size appropriate to the wishes of the environmentalist.

The cell will be stocked with a cell suitable number of pinioned pairs of Wood Ducks prior to November in the year leading to the proposed spring for initial nesting. The Wood Ducks will be responsible for hatching and rearing offspring each spring that will be allowed to retain the ability to fly and the option to fly from the cell at their own discretion. As adults the offspring will always have access to the apron surrounding the cell and possibly to the cell itself on a part-time or full-time basis, thus providing a system of support until such time as the individual Wood Duck elects to forego the security of the cell and/or apron.

One option for the creation of the cell is simply to take an existing body of water. Visualize the cell to be constructed as a four sided figure surrounding the body of water in such a way that the sides of the figure would be at least 100 feet from the waters edge. If a four sided figure is less appropriate than a five or six sided figure to artistically and feasibly surround the body of water make the change to more sides.

Now mentally place posts which are 6" x 6" and 8 feet long buried three feet into the ground at the corners of the figure you visualized encompassing the body of water. The number of posts needed will be determined by the number of corners. An additional post will be placed next to one of the corner posts to make a gate of sufficient width to allow mowers, tractors, trucks, etc. to enter.

At this point a 15.5 gauge high tensile strength barbed wire should be tightly stretched from post to post around the perimeter and directly on the surface of the ground. If the land is sufficiently rolling additional posts may be needed to keep the barbed wire close to the ground. This design calls for the use of 5.5' farm "t" posts placed every ten feet along the barbed wire with about 55 inches out of the ground.

Chain link fence 2.25" in size and 48" tall of economy quality is then stretched between the wood posts until the average height of the wire is 47.5". The chain link fence will finally be connected to each of the "t" posts using the wire clips supplied with/for the posts. The chain link fence will then be connected to the barbed wire by bending down every third knuckle (approximately 8" apart) and hooking it around the barbed wire before being the knuckle back into the original position. Finally the chain link fence will be topped with an electric fence wire placed on insulators about two inches above the fence. The gate should preferably be a welded pipe gate covered with chain link fence with an electric fence strand across the top.

A walk around the perimeter fence on a regular basis is a necessity. To make observation easier the fence should be mowed to "yard" height at least six feet on each side of the fence and the fence should be weed whacked. A good routine is to mow the fence on both sides blowing the grass away from the fence, then weed whack it. Complete the job by blowing two more rounds on each side of the fence toward the fence. This process helps to prevent digging by predators. The inside of the cell needs to be maintained with open areas and bushes or trees, but should not become dense enough to hamper movement of the pinioned Wood Ducks and their offspring or to provide a hideout for a predator that somehow beat the predator proofing. In the photographs which follow of the example cells a theme of islands of weeds and grasses with bushes and trees planted in the islands will be noted.

When the propagation cell is constructed in a climate with significant periods of cold weather, attention needs to be paid to keeping open water. This feat can be accomplished by the use of a small air compressor connected to half inch black plastic roll water pipe. The pipe should pass through the deepest part of the body of water with the open end being placed out of the water on the bank where it is accessible. A water faucet is connected to the end to be opened when flushing the pipe at the beginning of operation and closed when the compressor is operating. The pipe occupying the deepest water should have about five "pin" holes placed seven feet apart in that section of pipe. Pieces of metal or concrete should be strapped onto the pipe with copper or aluminum wire to weight the pipe to the bottom of the body of water. The air compressor can be equipped with a thermostat to start the compressor at a point prior to freezing such as 34 degrees. The compressor should normally be set at about 10 pounds pressure or where the compressor will continue to blow air for about twice as long as it pumps. In extreme cold the pressure may need to be increased.

Examples of this type cell with photographs related to its peculiarities follow:

Three Acre Lake In An Enclosure of Six Acres Three Smaller Enclosures With Ponds Of Approximately 20' By 30' Shown On The Right

Photograph Of the Left Bank Showing Islands Of Weeds and Tall Grasses

Just To The Right Of The Last Photograph - A Hole In The Island Shows A Bench Placed In The Water With Wood Duck Boxes and Ramps Reaching Land

Lake Of Approximately 3/4s Acre In An Enclosure Of Four Acres Enclosure

Recently Renovated Lake Of Approximately 1.5 Acres In An Enclosure of Five Acres

Photograph Of The Southwest Corner Of The Enclosure Showing Islands of Weeds And Grasses, Bushes, and Trees

Photograph Of The Southeast Corner Of The Enclosure Showing Islands of Weeds And Grasses, Bushes, and Trees

Nest Boxes Mounted On A Bench For Use By Pinioned Wood Ducks Bench and Ramps Are Placed On Land

Chain Link Fence Constructed As Described Earlier Note Length Of Stretch And Uneven Terrain

Close-up Of Chain Link Line Fence Utilizing "T" Posts

Chain Link Fence Secured To The Ground With Barbed Wire

Chain Link Fence Connected To Barbed Wire

A Second View Of Chain Link Fence Connected To Barbed Wire

Pipe Gate Covered With Chain Link Fence

Heavier Pipe Gate Covered With Chain Link Fence

A major benefit of this type cell is the relatively low expense of materials and labor. In addition, easy adaptation to existing landscapes and irregular shaped bodies of water is a plus.

Problems with the aforementioned cell are protection from Great Horned Owls and an occasional Red-Tailed Hawk that can fly into the cell. Mink can go through the chain link, but opossum, raccoon, fox, and coyote will be repelled except for an occasional "dig under" by a raccoon or opossum. One remedy is to not patch the hole, but place an altered Hav-a-hart trap in front of the opening, so the varmint can be caught and removed from the cell and apron. The propagates can go and come through the fence for a considerable period of their maturing days. Feed that is constantly available close to the water and fences that are away from the waters edge help to curtail movement of the propagates into the apron area until flight is an option.

Cost of this type cell can be estimated using an example size such as a land area that is 300' on each side and contains a pond that is approximately 100' by 100'. Approximately $75.00 is saved for each ten feet eliminated from the width or the length.

A second type of propagation cell is an adapted aviary for ducks which structurally is made of treated wood, 1" by 2" welded wire that is six feet tall, and topped with 2 inch Toprite III netting. The example structure is 50 feet wide and 105 feet long which is in part determined by the width of the net. Continuing to use the net as a guide the structure could be approximately 155 feet in length. Included in this example cell is a pond which is approximately 25 feet by 35 feet. A 2" x 6" kick board has been placed around the cell at ground level. Stapled to the bottom of the kick board is a piece of 1" x 2" piece of welded wire 16" in length. Prior to securing the kick board with the welded wire attached, a trench was dug which was sloped from the bottom of the cell to about two feet from the cell and ended with a depth of about 6 inches. After placement of the kick board the wire was bent down into the trench and covered with earth. This action was done to deter entry into the cell by predators.

This cell will be assumed to minimally provide water for swimming; prepared feed to insure the desired nutritional level; wind breaks for sun and wind protection; suitable nest aids; and a selected level of predator protection. The apron around the cell will minimally provide prepared feed matching the desired nutritional level; suitable nest aids; selected level of predator protection for a distance appropriate to the terrain; and an apron size appropriate to the wishes of the environmentalist.

As before the cell will be stocked with a suitable number of pinioned pairs of Wood Ducks prior to November in the year leading to the proposed spring for initial nesting. The Wood Ducks will be responsible for hatching and rearing offspring each spring that will be allowed to retain the ability to fly and the option to fly from the cell at their own discretion will be made possible by rolling back the top net as flight becomes possible for the offspring. As adults the offspring will always have access to the apron surrounding the cell and possibly to the cell itself on a part-time or full-time basis based on when the top net is put back into position. If the net is replaced the system of support until such time as the individual Wood Duck elects to forego the security of the cell and/or apron will be limited. Certainly the favored option is to remove the net for a period to let the offspring fly, then put the net back into position to protect the pinioned adults and the future offspring. The process would be repeated the next fall.

As with the previous propagation cell if this cell is constructed in a climate with significant periods of cold weather, attention needs to be paid to keeping open water. This feat can be accomplished by the use of a small air compressor connected to half inch black plastic roll water pipe. The pipe should pass through the deepest part of the body of water with the open end being placed out of the water on the bank where it is accessible. A water faucet is connected to the end to be opened when flushing the pipe at the beginning of operation and closed when the compressor is operating. The pipe occupying the deepest water should have about five "pin" holes placed seven feet apart in that section of pipe. Pieces of metal or concrete should be strapped onto the pipe with copper or aluminum wire to weight the pipe to the bottom of the body of water. The air compressor can be equipped with a thermostat to start the compressor at a point prior to freezing such as 34 degrees. The compressor should normally be set at about 10 pounds pressure or where the compressor will continue to blow air for about twice as long as it pumps. In extreme cold the pressure may need to be increased.

Due to the smaller size of the body of water incorporated into this cell it is possible that a garden hose could be used to keep open water. In the example used, a white pipe can be seen in the photograph "Close Up Of Pond From North To South." This pipe is fed by water which has passed through a water heat pump. Since the water heat pump is almost constantly in operation during very cold weather open water is not a problem in the example cell.

An example of this type cell with photographs related to its peculiarities follows:

South To North Photograph Of Welded Wire Propagation Cell

Looking North To South From Inside The Cell

Close Up Of Pond From North To South

From East Side Of Pond To Southwest Corner Of Cell

South To North From Inside Of Cell

East to Northwest Corner of Cell Showing Compensation For Sloping Terrain

Wire To Deter Digging Under Is Challenged In First Week

East Side Entrance: Large Enough To Accommodate Garden Tractor

Construction of this propagation cell is fairly straight forward as is shown by the accompanying photographs. It is virtually predator proof from the air by way of the top net. The same is true by the ground with an electric fence placed at a height of about five feet on the wire walls of the cell plus the dig wire discussed earlier.

The greatest concern is with ice and snow on the top net, thus the apparent "over" bracing and the use of cables to aid in supporting the top net under unusual weather conditions. A foot wide piece of aluminum flashing will need to be placed at the level of and above the kick board to keep the young from getting out of the pen and not being able to get back into the cell. With the chain link fence the young can easily go back and forth. A greater expense is also required for the area served with this propagation cell than with the previous cell due to predator and weather proofing.

Cost of this type cell can be estimated using an example size such as a land area that is 50' wide, 105' long, and contains a pond that is approximately 20' by 35'. This cell can be scaled down in size easier than it can be enlarged. Major savings would be in wire, treated lumber, and labor. For every 10 feet in length that is eliminated approximately $200 would be saved.

This file was placed in service 07/04/2004.

The University of Tennessee at Martin is not responsible for the information or views expressed here.

Last Modified Tuesday, 27-May-2008 22:59:02 CDT