The national Wood Duck population is best monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey, which samples a large proportion of the Canadian range and has high precision. It shows an increase of just over 300% since 1970, with most growth occurring from the mid-1970s to early 1990s. The eastern population is best monitored by the Southern Ontario Waterfowl Plot Survey (SOWPS), which targets the core of its range and shows an increase of 449% since 1971.

The western population is slightly more complicated, with its largest concentration in southwestern British Columbia, and smaller numbers inland and in southwestern Alberta. The Breeding Bird Survey for the coastal region shows little change, being only 10% below its 1970 level, but this trend does not necessarily reflect the smaller inland populations so its reliability is only considered medium. 

The Lincoln method, which estimates population trends through hunting recoveries, shows long-term increases of over 300% in both western and eastern North America, though these results are heavily influenced by the United States breeding population.

The goal for the national population of Wood Duck is to remain at or above its recent population level, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. For the eastern population, the goal is the same, but based on the Southern Ontario Waterfowl Plot Survey (SOWPS). Both the eastern and national populations are within their goal ranges.

The goal for the western population of Wood Duck is to remain at or above its average population level from 1970 to 2022, based on the Breeding Bird Survey for Bird Conservation Region 5. Recent data show that the population is within its goal range.