(WWJ) With its striking looks, could the wood duck become a formal part of Michigan’s identity?
The State Senate has voted 31-4 to designate the wood duck as Michigan's official state duck.
After a bill designating the wood duck as the official state duck (HOUSE BILL NO. 4044) passed the Michigan House in June 2025, it was approved by the Senate on Tuesday.
This marks the first time Michigan has moved to name an official duck to its list of state symbols.
The bill would have to be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to become law.
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.
Male wood duck.
Getty Images
Female wood duck
Getty Images
A favorite for photographers across North America, they've made a remarkable recovery and are now a prized game species in Michigan.
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.
