General

Mandarin Duck: Small, fancy duck. Dark green and red-brown crown, buff and white face, orange-brown on cheeks and throat, and pink-orange bill with white tip. Purple-black back and breast with two white lines. Tawny sides with fine black barring and orange-brown feathers that stand up on lower back. Female has rounded head with long, swept-back crest. Head dark brown-grey with white eye ring and line behind eye. White on throat and near base of bill. Dark, grey-brown back and wings with dark green patch. Brown-grey underparts spotted pale grey.

Range and Habitat

Mandarin Duck: Introduced breeder in Britain. Most commonly seen in southeast and central England, small populations can be found in Wales and Scotland. Scarce in Ireland. Visible year round, birds can be found on marshes, and at lakes and ponds with thickly wooded edges.

Breeding and Nesting

Mandarin Duck: Pair bonding may extend for several years; males may be promiscuous during incubation. Female chooses nesting site, lays 9-12 eggs at daily intervals. Eggs hatch within a few hours of each other and chicks quickly crawl from nest hole and tumble to ground. Juvenile females tend young.

Foraging and Feeding

Mandarin Duck: Eats plant material gathered on edges of shallow lakes and marshes. Feeding during dawn or dusk they also eat small invertebrates like snails and insects as well as seeds like beechnut.

Vocalisation

Mandarin Duck: Generally silent. During courtship the male gives a whistle or a sharp "whik" in flight and the female gives short clucking notes.

Similar Species

Mandarin Duck: None in range. The conspicuous orange 'sails' and maned head make misidentification unlikely.