Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

We were pleased to find a pair of these colorful but wary North American endemic ducks. Note female on far left. They prefer wooded swamps where they often hide in deep shade. They are partly migratory in our area and these are the first I have seen this year. Virtually extirpated by over-hunting in the San Francisco Bay Area by the late 19th and early 20th century, this species has recovered over recent decades.