Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Tufted Ducks

The Mandarin Duck

UK Status: Resident, Non Native Introduced species..

Habitat: This duck prefers wooded lakes and rivers with dense shrubby under growth for nesting, mainly in low lying areas, under five thousand feet in altitude. Also to be found in marshy areas, flooded fields and open rivers occasionally. Although preferring fresh water, it sometimes may overwinter in coastal lagoons and river estuaries.

Breeding: Mandarins nest on land in dense shrubbery, or woodland near to water. Cavities and hollow tree trunks, and stumps are a favourite location. They lay just a single clutch of nine to twelve eggs, each season, only the female incubates them. Males are often seen guarding the brooding females, mothers lead their ducklings to the water once they have all hatched.

Comment: In it's native countries, China, Russia and Japan this bird has sadly declined a great deal. In China and Russia there only about a thousand pairs in each land. In Japan it is down to about five thousand pairs. Humans introduced this species to the British Isles as an ornamental bird. They were intended to grace the pools and lakes of rich, influential gentry. Since however many have escaped and gone ferral (wild), and as such can be found on any lakes in the British Isles. There are now as many pairs in the UK, as Japan, Russia and China combined.