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Wood Duck House

If you live near any type of pond or wetland, you know the joy of watching wood ducks as they come and go every season. The spring always brings the little ducklings out which makes it even more enjoyable to find a nice spot where you can observe. Building a wood duck house is a great way to encourage more duck traffic in and around your property and can provide some shelter and protection for the ducks from their predators.

Building a wood duck house is much like building a simple birdhouse but with a few complications. Ducks are of course larger than birds so their houses need to be larger. They're also usually not as far off the ground since ducks do more walking than birds, so they may tend to waddle to their houses rather than fly to them as birds do. Some wonder if a wood duck house should face in a particular direction in order to attract ducks but usually any placement of them will work fine.

Building your own wood duck house can be an enjoyable task if you do it right and take into account a few considerations about ducks. Many prefer to purchase such a house, for a variety of reasons. Here are some quick tips to get you started.

Building a House

One disadvantage to building a wood duck house is that the most obvious choice of material is wood, but wood typically rots over time. It may also need to be repainted or refinished as well, even if you use pressure treated lumber. It is however easier to work with and to shape as you like.

When building a wood duck house you need to create an opening that will accommodate the size of the duck. Again, this is not like building a birdhouse. The dimensions of the house need to be larger although small enough for heat to build up inside. Typically two feet by one foot is sufficient, and a wood duck house this size can be mounted in a tree if this is what you prefer. It's good to work with plans if you want to build your own so you know the dimensions will be accurate and the wood duck house will encourage ducks to migrate and settle inside.

Purchasing a House

In many cases it's best to purchase a wood duck house for use on your property. If you purchase a plastic or laminate one, it will last much longer. This is something to consider when you think about the many elements to which your wood duck house is exposed. It may not host those ducks during the harsh winter months, but it needs to stand up to the snow and sleet and other elements.

Shop around for a plastic or laminate wood duck house that would work on your property. Choosing the right one will mean inviting those wood ducks to your home and protecting them and their eggs as well.