"Mandarin Duck"

"Mandarin Duck" (Aix galericulata)

	Mandarin "drake" Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Mandarin "pair" Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Mandarin "drake" Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Mandarin on "eggs" Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ian Gereg www.exoticwaterfowl.com
	(Mandarin Eggs) Photograph by © Ian Gereg www.exoticwaterfowl.com
	(Mandarin Eggs) Photograph by © Ian Gereg www.exoticwaterfowl.com
	Mandarin "display" Photograph by © Ian Gereg www.exoticwaterfowl.com
	"male Mandarin Duck" Photograph by © Ian Gereg www.exoticwaterfowl.com

Mandarin Ducks are a medium-sized duck of lakes and rivers in wooded areas. Very colorful birds, usually in pairs or small parties by secluded wooded lakes and rivers; larger gatherings form in autumn and winter. They nest above the ground in tree holes or artificial nesting sites. It spends most of daytime loafing under hanging waterside vegation or on partially-submerged branches. It is most active in early mornings and evenings. It feeds by picking food from water surface or while walking along banks, rarely dives. Flight action fast adn agile. Mandarin ducks mix little with other species.

Size: 16-19"

Male: Head with tufted crest and long ruff of feathers around sides of head. Forehead and crown dark, with copper, purple and green reflections. Wide white, buff-washed band from base of bill across sides of head. Lower sides of head and ear-coverts orange-rufous, feathers elongated. Breast maroon, with black and white vertical bands at rear. Flanks buff, bordered by line of black and white along upper and rear edge. Center of underparts from undertail-coverts to lower breastk white. Most of upperparts dark olive-brown. Tertails elongated into remarkable orange "sails". Upperwing-coverts brown; secondaries iridescent green, with white tips; primaries blackish, glossed bluish-green, with white on outer webs. Underwing dark greyish-brown. Bill red, with whitish nail, at all seasons. Legs and feet yellowish. Iris dark brown.

Female: Paler and greyer overall. The eye-patch is narrower, merely an eye-ring rather than a patch, with a narrow white line extending backwards from it towards nape. Bill has a pale nail.

Nest: Nest site normally a tree hole, rarely on ground under bushes or logs.

Eggs: 9-12

Food: seeds, insects, rice

Voice: Male has several short whistling calls in display and sometimes gives a brief, sharp, whistled "hwick" in flight. Female has several low, clucking notes, rarely given unless attending young or in display.

Habitat: Forrested rivers and lakes, with dense tree and shrub cover along banks; marshes, brackish lagoons.

***To learn more about Mandarin Ducks, please visit my "Mandarin Ducks Nests, Eggs & Babies" page.