Why is the Male Wood Duck Strikingly Colorful?

Abstract

Display plumage of Aix sponsa seems more complex than would be needed to make the male distinctly different from other species. Because of hole-nesting habits, young Wood Ducks are not imprinted with the visual species characteristics, as are young of surface-nesting ducks. It is suggested that a selective process occurred through which the male plumage promotes better learning by the female as a partial compensation for the lack of imprinting.