(WWJ) The wood duck has become Michigan's first official state duck.
After a bill designating the wood duck as the official duck of the state of Michigan (HOUSE BILL NO. 4044) passed the Michigan House in June 2025, the bill was then approved by the Senate with a 31-4 vote on Wednesday.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took the final step to sign the bill into law on Thursday.
This marks the first time Michigan has moved to name an official duck to its list of state symbols.
Male wood duck.
Getty Images
Female wood duck
Getty Images
The wood duck is often cited as one of the most successful conservation stories in North America, rebounding from near-extinction due to habitat loss and overhunting in the early 20th century.
A favorite for photographers across North America, they've made a remarkable recovery and are now a prized game species in Michigan, with an estimated Michigan population of around 100,000.
The male wood duck is highly colorful, identifiable by its iridescent green crests, red eyes, and a white "bridle" pattern on the face.
The female has more subtle gray-brown plumage with a distinct white teardrop-shaped eye ring.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) actively manages them through habitat restoration, regulated hunting, and the widespread installation of artificial nesting boxes.
According to the DNR, the wood duck is known to frequent wooded wetlands, swamps, and river floodplains. Prime viewing and hunting spots include the Shiawassee River State Game Area and the Maple River State Game Area.
In Metro Detroit, there have been frequent sightings along the Rouge River, Belle Isle State Park, and Rouge Park and Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Wood ducks can also be spotted at Lake Erie Metropark, Lake St. Clair Metropark, Kensington Metropark and the West Bloomfield Nature Preserve.
