Mandarin Duck

Photo credit: GB NNSS

Habitat

• The mandarin duck is usually found inhabiting parkland with ornamental lakes and ancient oak woodland
• Sometimes found in other waterbodies like gravel pits and slow flowing rivers with well-vegetated margins
• They can be found feeding on nuts and grain a considerable distance away from water

Description

• Males have an orange ‘sail’ on their back, long orange whiskers, an obvious long white crescent above the eye that tapers backwards, and a double white band on the breast sides
• Male colour is duller during the late summer moult compared with earlier in the year
• Females and young birds look very similar to the wood duck (Aix sponsa) but they have a long tapering white line behind the eye
• They nest in tree holes, usually in dense woodland, up to 1km away from water
• Nests can be up to 15m above the ground
• Eggs are laid from around mid-April onwards
• Chicks mostly hatch around July
• They lay 9-12 eggs
• Once hatched, ducklings are quickly led to water

Origin and Distribution

• Native to parts of southeast Siberia, mainly Ussuri and Amur River basins and nearby areas in northeast China and Japan
• There is some southward movement for winter, with occasional sightings in Taiwan
• It has been introduced to Ecuador, Colombia, United Arab Emirates and across Europe, into the UK and Ireland

Impacts

• There is concern that they may impact other hole-nesting ducks such as Goldeneye & Goosander by competing with them for nesting habitat

Is it found in Northern Ireland

How did it get here?

• As a popular ornamental species for park lakes and collections, it entered the wild through both accidental and deliberate release

Prevent Spread

• Report all sightings
• Great care must be taken to ensure individuals kept in confinement do not escape

Current Legislation Position (Northern Ireland only)