You would never know a duck could be so gorgeous if you didn't meet these guys. Instead of white or grey plumage, they own surprisingly lovely coats of many colors and shapes. Let's say hi to the most exquisite ducks: Mandarin ducks.
Source: Joel Rurik, Regent's Park--Boating Lake, London, England, United Kingdom
The
mandarin duck (
Aix galericulata) is a perching duck species native to East Asia but has established feral populations throughout Western Europe. These small exotic-looking ducks are found in lakes, riversides, and parks, usually with nearby trees.
Source: Thomas Doebel, Schloss & Park Pillnitz, Dresden (Kreisfreie Stadt), Sachsen, Germany
Male ducks are very ornate with big orangey "sail fins" on the back, streaked orangey cheeks, and a small red bill with a whitish tip, while females have narrow white spectacles on shaggy gray heads, bold pale dappled spots along flanks and pale bill tip.
Source: Andrew Wilson, Yancheng Wetland NNR, Jiangsu, China
Mandarin ducks are often found in pairs or single, but they can gather in larger flocks over the winter and perch readily in trees over water. Compared to other ducks, mandarins are shy birds, preferring to seek cover under trees.
Source: Liu JYUN-FU, The West Lake, Zhejiang, China
Source: Tanner Martin, Riverside Park (Josephine Co.), Josephine, Oregon, United States
The diet of mandarin ducks changes seasonally, and they are omnivores. In the fall and winter, they mostly eat acorns and grains. In the springtime, their meals are insects, snails, fish, and aquatic plants. In the summer, they eat dew worms, small fish, frogs, mollusks, and small snakes.
Source: Matthew Gasperoni, Großer Garten, Dresden (Kreisfreie Stadt), Sachsen, Germany
Source: BAL Land, Irvine Regional Park, Orange, California, United States
In the wild, mandarin ducks breed and nest in cavities in trees close to the water during the spring. A single clutch of nine to twelve eggs is laid in April or May and hatched by the mother duck. Then, all the ducklings will follow their mother to discover the nearby water.
Source: Javier Pi Vallina
Source: Ákos Lumnitzer, Nurragingy Reserve, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
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