Creating wood duck boxes

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The wood duck is the resident species found throughout East Texas. Landowners have used wood duck nest boxes as a wildlife management tool for over half a century. Materials and Construction: Weather resistant lumber such as cypress or cedar is the optimal material to use; although treated pine is an acceptable alternative. Assemble the box following the dimensions in the illustration. Hinge the lid for easy maintenance; use a screen door latch to keep it shut. Bore four 1/2 inch holes through the box for drainage. Predator Shields: Raccoons and many snake species are responsible for destruction of many wood duck nests. Proper precautions should be taken to prevent nest disturbance. Predator shields are crucial to reduce nest box predation. They consist of a cone shaped piece of sheet metal, a minimum of 30 inches in diameter. Place shields a minimum of 2-3 feet below the nest box to reduce predation from snakes. Placement: Placing numerous nest boxes close together in easily accessible areas may attract predators and decrease duckling survival. One wood duck box per half mile of shoreline is adequate. Place boxes over water on a 4” x 4” wooden post or a metal pipe above high water level but accessible for easy maintenance. Do not place next to trees or overhanging shrubs. Ducklings need adequate escape cover for survival; therefore, areas containing dense shrubs along the banks such as buttonbush or willow in mature bottomland hardwoods or cypress swamps are optimal areas to place wood duck boxes. Erect boxes in early winter before hens begin to search for nest sites. Maintenance: Clean boxes annually in early winter before wood ducks begin nesting, which can occur as early as late January. Before nesting season, add approximately 2-3 inches of sawdust or wood shavings to the bottom of the box. This is a substitute for decaying wood which the hen normally uses when building a nest in a cavity.