What unique reproductive strategy does the Wood Duck regularly employ in a single breeding season?
Answer
Producing two broods
The Wood Duck holds the distinction of being the only duck species native to North America that regularly attempts to produce two complete broods within one single breeding season, although this behavior is observed more frequently in the southern extent of their range. Furthermore, they exhibit brood parasitism, meaning females sometimes practice 'egg dumping' by depositing some of their eggs into the nests of other Wood Ducks to be raised by a different hen. This complex reproductive effort contrasts with the male's role, as he departs to molt after the initial stages of incubation, leaving all parental duties for the eggs and subsequent young entirely to the female.
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