Mandarin duck: description, features, habitat halo and interesting facts. Decorative mandarin duck Big mandarin duck

Detachment - Anseriformes

Family - duck

Genus/Species - Aix galericuda. mandarin duck

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: 43-46 cm.

Wingspan: 70 cm

Weight: male - 630 g, female - 510 g.

BREEDING

Puberty: in year.

Nesting period: April June.

Number of eggs: 9-12.

Incubation: 29-30 days.

Feeding chicks: 40-45 days.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: mandarin duck (see photo of the bird) is shy, but sociable. Lives in the forests.

Food: seeds, nuts, plants, sometimes shellfish and insects.

Lifespan: nature 3-6 years, in captivity - up to 12 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The mandarin duck is one of 13 species of ducks. Its closest relative is the Carolina duck.

Mandarin duck. Video (00:00:45)

Nowadays, more and more mandarin ducks are grown as ornamental birds at home, so there is hope that these beautiful birds will be preserved. The destruction of their natural habitats, which is still ongoing, means that the continued existence of these ducks depends on the populations that are settled in Europe.

HABITS

At home, in the Far East, these little ducks keep in small flocks on the coasts of forested mountain rivers and lakes. They like dense thickets most of all, where tree branches hang over the water. A naturally shy bird hides more readily in bushes along the banks of rivers, from where, in case of danger, it can slip into the water or unnoticed come ashore. At the end of summer, they go to flooded rice fields, swamps and other open, wet areas to feed. Mandarin ducks are also often seen in parks, coastal bushes, or in the water. Often these ducks overcome their natural distrust of people and become almost tame. Tangerines are active in the morning and evening when they comb rivers and lakes in search of food. During the day they rest on the shore or on nearby trees. Nests are arranged in hollows at different heights, sometimes up to 10 meters; less on earth.

WHAT DOES IT FEED

Although tangerines are primarily herbivores, they eat just about everything from seeds to shellfish and small fish. At the end of summer, populations of ducks living in Asia often fly to the rice fields. In the UK and Central Europe, aquatic plants and insects form the basis of the spring and summer diet of mandarin ducks. In autumn, these birds eat acorns, beech fruits and chestnuts with pleasure. Tangerines, swimming, collect food from the surface of the water, or, diving, catch aquatic insects and small fish.

BREEDING

In autumn, male mandarin ducks dress up in unusually beautiful plumage. Mandarin ducks are without a doubt the most beautiful ducks on Earth! Beautiful plumage is very important for a bird, as it serves to attract a female in order to pair with her next spring.

Floating on the water in front of the females, the males perform quite complex mating dances. When the female chooses a partner, she swims up to him and keeps close by. A new pair is formed every year. The female goes in search of a nest site. Usually chooses a hollow located near the water. In mid-April, the female lays one egg a day for 9-12 days. The eggs are incubated by themselves. A few days after hatching, the ducklings jump from the nest to the ground, and the mother leads them to the feeding place. After 6 weeks, the chicks become independent.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE DUCK MANDARIN

Mandarin duck - originally from Far East. It has been introduced to many European countries. In England, where these ducks have lived in the wild since 1930, today there are up to 1,000 pairs that nest there. Mandarin ducks are close relatives of Carolina ducks. The male mandarin duck in breeding attire is even brighter than the male duck. It is easy to recognize by the bright orange "mirrors" on the wings. A female mandarin duck in a modest outfit can be easily distinguished from other ducks by white spots around and behind the eyes.

GENERAL PROVISIONS. DESCRIPTION

Mandarin duck has long been bred for beauty, including in Russia and Ukraine.

Probably, this little tree duck has no equal in the world for its beauty. Luxurious plumage is only in the male, while the female has a more modest color. Inhabits the cedar-deciduous forests of the south of the Russian Far East and the deciduous forests of Japan, Korea and northern China. The nest is built in the hollows of trees. There are a dozen, sometimes a dozen eggs in a clutch. Hatched chicks themselves jump down to the ground from any height. They feed on mollusks, worms, fish caviar, seeds of aquatic plants.

The mandarin duck is the only duck that cannot interbreed with other duck species. The number of chromosomes in her is less than the number of chromosomes in representatives of other species.
The main reasons for the decline in the number of the species are the agricultural development of the lowlands and deforestation on the river banks.
The male, having changed the marriage attire to the usual one, becomes similar to the female. It can only be distinguished by its red beak.
Previously, people in China gave each other a pair of tangerines as a symbol of marital fidelity. But in fact, this tradition is not connected with reality, since mandarins look for a new partner every year.
Tangerines arrange nests in hollows. Acorns have been an important and valuable source of food for them for a long time.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF TANDARINA

A modestly colored female can be recognized by the shape of her head, thin white rings around her eyes, and long white feathers behind her eyes. She looks like a female Carolina duck. During the mating and nesting periods, the male is brightly colored, has a multi-colored crest on his head and expressive orange "mirrors" on the wings. For several days after hatching, the chicks remain in the hollow, and then jump out to the ground.

- Mandarin duck used to be common here

WHERE Dwells

Lives in part of the territory of the Far East, in Russia and China. To date, the largest populations of the species live in Japan and Central Europe.

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

The primary number of mandarin ducks has significantly decreased due to the destruction of forests in the Far East and the active fishing of ornamental birds. The mandarin duck is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Mandarin ducks. Video (00:02:37)

My Mandarin ducks)) unrealistically beautiful bird

mandarin duck. Video (00:01:22)

Mandarin duck. Video (00:11:51)

Zoo birds - a very beautiful multi-colored mandarin duck cleans its plumage. Video (00:01:09)

Mandarin duck (lat. Aix galericulata) is a small bird of the genus of forest ducks of the duck family. The mandarin duck lives in the Far East. Mandarin duck - a small duck weighing 0.4-0.7 kg. The mating attire of the male mandarin duck stands out among other ducks with a bright plumage color. The male has a crest on his head and is more brightly colored than the female. There are other, outdated, names - "Mandarin duck" or "Chinese duck". Mandarin duck is distributed only in East Asia. In Russia, the mandarin duck nests in the Amur and Sakhalin regions, in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories. Winters in China and Japan. This duck inhabits forested mountain rivers with tree branches hanging over the water and riverine mountain forests. The mandarin swims well, while sitting high on the water with a slightly raised tail. Dives rarely, only when wounded. Its flight is fast and agile, taking off easily, sometimes almost straight up. Unlike most ducks, the mandarin duck can often be seen perched on tree branches or on coastal cliffs. They feed on seeds, mainly acorns and aquatic plants. Tangerines also feed on shellfish, worms and fish caviar.

Kira Stoletova

The mandarin duck is a wild waterfowl that lives in the Far East, Northeast Asia, Japan. It has also been introduced to the USA, Ireland and the UK. You can meet her in zoos, in some countries she settles in public parks. Mandarin duck represents the duck family, a genus of forest ducks. This is a representative of an endangered species, therefore the Russian and world Red Book included it in their lists.

Description of the bird

The mandarin duck got its name back in ancient China. The local nobles, who were called tangerines, really liked the unusually beautiful little birds. They often kept them on ponds in their gardens. Pairs of birds were given to the newlyweds for the wedding. Interesting facts show that these birds form a couple of times for life. Even after the death of a partner, they do not look for a new one, and therefore they are revered as a symbol of fidelity.

Images and figurines of colored ducks are used in the ancient art of Feng Shui. The old names of the species are Chinese or Mandarin duck, but they are no longer used.

What does a mandarin bird look like? She is not large at all and is considered the most beautiful among all ducks, thanks to the drake's magnificent wedding dress. Here short description Mandarin bird parameters:

Weight - 0.4-0.7 kg.
Body length - 40-48 cm.
Wing length - 21-24.5 cm.

Mandarins are distinguished by interesting plumage colors that appear in males in mating season. The drake coloring page looks like this:

On the head there is a bright orange crest and whiskers of the same color, between them from the eye to the back of the neck there are white stripes.
Goiter purple.
The belly is white.
The tail is dark above, light below.
The sides are beige.
The last feather on the wing ends in a bright orange fan, with folded wings it sticks up.
On the back of the body is a bright orange color, there are red, green and blue stripes.

It is important to note that all the colors on the plumage of the male are clearly separated from each other and almost never merge. The drawings on the plumage of the duck are more modest, it plays the role of camouflage, the colors smoothly transition into each other:

The head is gray, it has a small gray tuft.
The breast and sides are variegated, gray feathers alternate with white.
The belly is white.
The back is brown.

The drake wears its bright dress for almost the entire year, from September to July. In the middle of summer, molting begins in birds, males become similar to females. At this time, they stray into separate flocks and hide in the thickets. White mandarin ducks are very rare in nature. The female has a uniform light color. The male has a combination of white and cream shades. Protruding fans on the wings, a saddle on the back and a crest on the head testify to belonging to the same species with colored tangerines. Better consider appearance birds can be in the photo of mandarin ducks.

Where do tangerines live

Where does the mandarin duck live? This bird lives in the countries of East Asia, Japan, on Sakhalin, in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur Valley. The bird is migratory, flies to Japan and the southern regions of China for the winter, but nests in the north. In the XVIII century, ducks were brought and successfully acclimatized in Ireland and Great Britain. In the 80s of the last century, mandarin ducks were brought to California. In Britain and the USA, birds often live in parks, near human houses, and you can see them in zoos.

To date, there are only 25,000 pairs of these unique beautiful birds. About 15,000 pairs nest in Russia (most in Primorsky Krai), 4,500-5,000 pairs nest in Japan, approximately 1,000 pairs each in China, Ireland, Great Britain, 550 pairs in the USA. The bird is listed in the Red Book, hunting for it is strictly prohibited. But there are facts that drakes during molting and ducks fall under a bullet by accident, hunters confuse them with other species.

The favorite habitats of the mandarin duck are forest lakes and mountain rivers. In some countries, they can be seen in city parks. Where mandarin ducks live, there should be a lot of old logs, branches. This is the only duck species that builds nests in trees, sometimes at a height of up to 6 m. They perfectly jump from such a great height and teach this art to chicks from birth. Tangerines love quiet deaf places with windbreaks, old trees in which there are hollows. Sometimes they settle near fields, periodically raiding crops. Since the species is few, great harm agriculture he does not inflict.

Waterfowl mandarin ducks cannot do without water bodies. They are excellent swimmers, holding their bodies high above the water. They dive extremely rarely, only when they are injured. They fly quickly and fairly high, rising into the air from the surface of the water almost vertically.

What does the mandarin duck eat? Birds eat plant seeds, rice and barley grains, which are found in the fields. The duck also likes snails, small fish, insects, acorns, aquatic vegetation.

The natural enemies that threaten the mandarin duck are small predators that live in their habitat. The raccoon dog does the most damage. This animal preys on chicks and adult birds, eats eggs. On the water, the otter is a danger, foxes hunt ducks, predator birds. Nests in hollows where the mandarin duck lives can be ruined by squirrels.

Ducks are thermophilic, they cannot stand temperatures below 5°C. Little ducklings in a cold summer can generally die. In September, the mandarin go to warmer climes, and returns to their usual habitats quite early, at the end of March. Immediately after returning, the birds begin mating games.

duck breeding

The mating season for ducks of this breed begins in April. Males actively fight among themselves to get the attention of females. Pairs form persistent, for life. If one of the partners dies, the other will never find a replacement for him. After mating, the female goes to look for a nest, and the male faithfully follows her. Basically, this species settles in hollows, extremely rarely builds a nest on the ground.

Having found a suitable place in a tree trunk, the mandarin duck lays eggs in it. Laying starts in April. In one nest of a duck there are 7-12 testicles. The female incubates them on her own, the male extracts and brings food to his duck. Hatching lasts a month, the timing can vary within 1-2 days.

A few days after hatching from the eggs, the chicks begin to jump out of the nest on their own. They can fall from a height of several meters, but nothing happens to them. Parents lead ducklings to a pond and feeding places. Like all waterfowl, mandarin ducklings are free to float on the water from birth. At the slightest danger, the brood, together with the duck, hides in the thicket. The drake can distract the enemy to itself, thus saving the family.

Chicks become adults at the age of 40-45 days from birth. They can already fly and leave the parental nest. In the same period, the mandarin drake changes to its new outfit, a little nondescript, like that of a female. Males form separate flocks and try to hide from prying eyes. In September, when the molt is over, the males again put on their multi-colored plumage. On the same days, mandarin ducks fly from cold regions to warmer climes to return to their nesting sites next spring.

Breeding at home

Mandarin ducks, like decorative birds, were bred in China in ancient times. It was a matter of prestige for any nobleman to keep these beauties in his pond. The amazing and rare white duck, which is very difficult to find in nature, was especially appreciated. Mandarin duck in China is a symbol of fidelity, because birds are often given as a gift for a wedding. Now you can also buy small beautiful ducks, although they are quite expensive and rare on the market. The rules for keeping mandarin ducks at home are described below.

Poultry house arrangement

It is desirable to bring the living conditions for mandarin ducks as close as possible to natural ones. In summer they can be kept in an aviary, in winter - only in a poultry house, ducks do not tolerate low temperatures. The requirements for a place to stay are as follows:

The aviary is made quite spacious, at least 10-15 m² for one pair.
From above, the aviary is covered with a net so that the tangerines do not fly away.
Inside, there must be trees or thick poles on which the duck will sit comfortably.
Be sure to put a mini pool or a large container of water.
Nests in the house should not be made on the ground, but at a height of 1.5-2 m, they can be attached to the wall or to the perch. The size of the nest is 40 cm wide and the same in height.

The Chinese mandarin duck can easily get along with other types of birds, but not with its relatives, therefore it is not recommended to keep more than one pair in one aviary. If there are two of them, the males will periodically fight among themselves, so that the females can stop laying eggs.

feeding ducks

When choosing a diet, you need to consider what the mandarin duck eats in nature. Here is the approximate composition of the feed needed by the duck:

Proteins of animal origin (bloodworm, dry daphnia, snails, small fish, minced meat and fish).
Chopped greens (duckweed, nettle, quinoa, dandelion and other varieties of grass).
Wet mash with vegetables (boiled cereals, grated carrots, pumpkin, zucchini).
Cereals (rice and barley grains, wheat, corn cobs).
Cake from oil-bearing plants.
Acorns.

Normal feeding and diet should include a fifth of crude proteins. If there are fewer of them, mandarin ducks will not breed, and if there is an overabundance, they can get sick. Food must always be fresh. In winter, when there is no greenery, it is worth preparing silage for ducks, herbal flour give more fresh vegetables.

Breeding

Mandarin ducks are not too willing to breed at home, so breeding them is difficult. The male does not always fertilize the eggs with high quality. The mandarin duck very often does not stay on the clutch for a full month, as a result of which the embryos may die. These reasons have led to the fact that it is currently practiced to lay eggs of representatives of this breed under other types of domestic ducks.

Rural tourism. Mandarin ducks in the bird park of Sergey Kornienko

Decorative ducks are a wonderful decoration for your home garden. But we must not forget that they wild birds. V different countries around the world they are kept in zoos and ponds to keep the species from extinction. If you do not have the appropriate conditions for keeping, it is better not to settle the birds of this breed at home, because they love freedom most of all.

How long does a mandarin duck live? In nature, its average life expectancy is 10 years, at home, birds live a little longer, since there is no threat from predators, some diseases can be cured.

Mandarin duck is a small bird from the genus of forest ducks of the duck family. Mostly lives in the Far East. Acclimatized in Ireland, USA and UK.

Mandarin duck weighs from 0.5 to 0.7 kg. Wing length: 2.1 - 2.45 cm. The male has a bright breeding outfit: a crest on his head and bright plumage. Duck is also called "Mandarin" and "Chinese".

Its description can be formulated as follows: small bright and agile bird. This duck is listed as rare in the Red Book, so the mandarin duck is grown in special establishments.

habitats

Initially, the mandarin duck was an inhabitant of the countries of East Asia and the territory of the Russian Far East. There are especially many of its nests in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur Region, as well as on the territory of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

Where does the mandarin duck live now?

For the most part, its area of distribution is on Russian territory. Of the 25,000 registered pairs of mandarin ducks, 15,000 live with us.

And only in autumn she leaves Russia to spend the winter where it is warmer and the temperature does not fall below 5 degrees.

In winter, the mandarin duck, overcoming long distances, settles in some areas of Japan and China. The mandarin bird returns to its native land before all the snow has melted. It does not breed in all countries of East Asia. For example, in Korea, the mandarin duck never nests, although it flies by.

Now the range of this bird has expanded, and it lives in small numbers even in Ireland, England and the USA. True, in small quantities. About a thousand pairs breed in Ireland, as well as in England. In America - about 550 pairs.

Appearance

It can be said for sure that the mandarin duck is the most beautiful duck on earth. In any case, it unusually stands out among the forest ducks, to which it belongs. The drake is especially different. Its bright plumage contrasts with the restrained colors of the wild.

The male has feathers in every color of the rainbow.. It is for the beauty of their plumage that they are so loved in China. The female is not as bright as the drake, but still she is beautiful in her own way. Its inconspicuous plumage is used for camouflage during hatching.

The drake molts before the onset of winter and looks completely different in cold weather. Due to its nondescript winter plumage, it is often mistaken for another species and shot down.

It is believed that it is because of the brightness of the plumage that these ducks got their name. Mandarins in China, as well as in Vietnam and Korea, were called officials of noble origin. Their clothes were distinguished by splendor and splendor. The outfit of the male mandarin duck caused just such an association. Perhaps also because beautiful pairs of these ducks were found in the ponds of the emperor of China and the Chinese nobility.

Nutrition

The tangerine feeds in the same place where it settles. Pairs of these ducks prefer protected places with water bodies: rivers and lakes. The mandarin duck is especially fond of settling along the banks of rivers surrounded by forests or rocks. She prefers to nest in forests on tall trees.

Nutrition consists of plant seeds, including aquatic ones. A feature of tangerines is that they love acorns, which contain many useful substances. From the aquatic environment, they extract shellfish, fish caviar and small river inhabitants.

They do not refuse plant foods either - they consume aquatic and terrestrial plants. Like all birds, they love worms. With artificial breeding, the mandarin duck feeds on wheat, barley, corn, rice and other cereals. Animal protein in the form of minced meat and fish is also added to her diet.

reproduction

The most beautiful mandarin duck is monogamous. Male and female remain faithful to each other until the end of the season. The male helps the female when she incubates the eggs and gets food for her. Before that, in early spring, "matchmaking" begins. The drake chooses a female and with its beautiful plumage tries to win her favor.

He describes circles on the surface of the water and puffs up his crest. Usually several males seek the attention of a female at once, she chooses the best one. The mandarin duck nests high in the hollows of trees. And almost a month incubates from seven to 14 small white eggs.

Ducklings, having been born, behave very actively and almost from birth they learn to swim and dive. They not only bathe, but also learn to get their own food: small insects and wild grass seeds. After about six weeks, the ducklings already know how to fly.

Character and lifestyle

Mandarin duck, which is known to various Interesting Facts, lives in the mountains near rivers, in mountain forests. This is her natural habitat. She is an excellent swimmer, while keeping her tail up in the water with dignity. Dives only in emergency situations, for example, when injured. Flies fast and agile. She often sits on a tree or rock.

It is forbidden to hunt it, as it is listed in the Red Book as a rare species.

It is bred in parks as decorative bird.

Among mandarin ducks there are albinos

Duck differs from others in some features, including:

The pitching (duck) mandarin duck does not quack, she only whistles softly;
During the mating season, the male has a very bright color, and then sheds, acquiring a calmer plumage. During this period they gather in thickets and hide there;
Ducks have rather strong wings, which helps them to rise vertically;
Mandarin does not like to dive, does it only when necessary;
It has sharp claws that help it stay on tree branches.

Cases of mutations of tangerines have been recorded, the most common of them is a duck with white plumage.

The most beautiful bird

- it's very beautiful. This duck is one of the most beautiful birds on our planet. In this article I would like to talk a little about her, about her natural habitats, about her reproduction, about her characteristics and external qualities. Also at the end of the article we will show some photos and pictures of this amazing bird.

Most likely, it got its name in honor of the emperors and other very influential officials of China, who at one time were called "Chinese tangerines". These officials wore very bright orange clothes.

- The bird is very small. Its live weight reaches 0.4-0.8 kilograms. Her appearance cannot but cause delight. The most beautiful are, of course, drakes. Drakes have wonderful multi-colored plumage. The chest is purple, the wings are orange, the back is greenish-blue, the tail is green with overflow. Also on the body there are a lot of black and white stripes. On the head of the drake is a very beautiful crest. The beak is bright orange. The legs are short and also have an orange color.

The female looks much more modest, but this does not take away her elegance. Its plumage is predominantly gray-brown, but on the wings there are green feathers with a characteristic sheen. The weight of females is slightly less than males.

The bird dives very well, swims and walks on land. She also has a very maneuverable flight. It can rise into the sky both from the ground and from the water, while maintaining a vertical position. The voice of the mandarin duck is very different from the voice of wild and domestic ducks.

Mandarin ducks arrive in Primorsky Krai in Russia early in the spring when it is snowing. There they nest and breed. There is a lot of competition among males, as a rule, 2-3 males apply for one female. Of course, there are no fights.

It has no commercial value, but the population of wild mandarin ducks is constantly declining. Most likely this is due to the deterioration of the environment in the places of its permanent habitat.

Habitats of mandarin ducks

The habitat of the mandarin duck in wild nature, relatively wide. They occupy the entire mountain system of Sikhote-Alin in China and some part of the Southern Primorye in Russia. Ducks prefer to choose a forest area where a river flows. It also does not disregard deaf forest swamps and lakes.

Mandarin ducks can even live near people. They thrive and breed well there.

In addition to the coastal region, these birds live in some eastern parts of the mainland. North America. In Europe, the mandarin duck does not live in the wild, but it is kept as an ornamental bird, which very well decorates the artificial reservoirs of parks and gardens.

Mandarin duck: breeding

As mentioned above, among the drakes there is a rather tough competition during the mating season. After winning the fights of one male, he mates with the female.

These birds build nests in trees, at a height of up to 20 meters. Ducks in nests lay 6-15 small cream-colored eggs. The incubation period lasts 29-31 days (usually 30). Little ducklings are raised by both parents. The whole summer is spent on education. Parents protect their offspring from predators, actively driving them away, feeding their children. Mandarin ducks are very caring parents.

In the summer, beautiful males molt and shed their very beautiful plumage and become very similar to females.

I fly to the south of the mandarin duck quite late, when the first frosts have already hit and the first snow has fallen.

Mandarin duck is listed in the Red Book Russian Federation, but fortunately they are not yet threatened with extinction, besides, it is quite widely grown at home and used for decorative purposes.

It is practically impossible to buy a homemade decorative mandarin duck anywhere, and if it is possible, then the price will be very significant. But how can money buy such beauty?

mandarin duck photo

See below for a photo of this amazing bird. In the photo you can more or less really appreciate the beauty of the mandarin duck.

Mandarin duck is a small forest duck, with a maximum weight of just over half a kilogram, of amazing beauty. It is also called Chinese duck. From the important persons of China, mandarins, dressed in flashy orange outfits, the mandarin duck got its name. Exotic fruit has nothing to do with this name.

The mandarin duck has a bright color and weighs no more than 0.5 kg

The charming rare waterfowl is forbidden to be hunted. It is listed in the Russian Red Book, protected by wildlife protectors. I want to admire the tangerine. A panel or slide, where the most graceful duck is captured in all its glory, will decorate the interior and emphasize the taste of the owner of the house.

Unfortunately, in winter, the color of the mandarin changes. Males become inconspicuous, stray in flocks, prefer to hide in thickets. Often hunters confuse the duck with other species and mistakenly shoot.

Raccoon dogs, squirrels, martens destroy nests. Snakes and birds of prey are also enemies of the mandarin duck. The decline in the number of a unique miniature duck is affected by the deterioration of the ecological background. Roads are laid along the rivers, forests are cut down.

The population has no commercial value. About 25 thousand pairs of mandarins live on the planet.

Tangerines are endangered

habitats

The bird lives in East Asia. In Russia, habitats are fertile regions of the Far East, Khabarovsk Territory, Amur Region and Sakhalin Island.

The snow has not yet completely melted, and the tangerines are already in a hurry to their summer habitats. At the end of September, after a significant cold snap, the duck leaves the north of its range and flies to winter in the warm regions of Japan and China. She chooses forest valleys near mountain rivers, taiga thickets and windbreaks.

Under the dwelling, she uses a hollow in a tree. The height above the ground can reach 15 meters. This is the only type of duck that settles on branches.

In countries where the mandarin duck does not live in the wild, it is bred to decorate ponds in gardens and parks. Having left urban zoos, birds can create new populations. According to the data taken from the card index in the Banding Center, interesting facts became known. The drake, ringed in Moscow and disappeared after 3 years, was discovered 800 km away in Dnepropetrovsk. In Germany, a female that flew away from the Nuremberg Zoo was shot in Karelia. She overcame more than 2 thousand km.

Beautiful ducks at different times served as a muse for creative people. On engravings and paintings, in the storylines of embroideries and appliqués, a mandarin duck is depicted. Paintings and poems were dedicated to her.

It is very difficult to buy a decorative Chinese duck for a home. Pet stores rarely offer such a copy at a high price.

Tangerines occupy a special place in folk art

Bright plumage color

Especially beautiful appearance of males during the mating season. Enthusiastic exclamations are caused by the bright plumage of the drake. The head of the male looks large because of the long colored feathers on it and the neck, forming a gentleman's set of sideburns and a protruding forelock. Copper-red, brilliant blue-green, bright red, orange, white feathers form a colorful lively pattern.

When the bird folds its wings, wide webs of terminal feathers protrude upwards on each side. The paws are dressed in orange "stockings", the beak has a bright red color. The combination of rich colors in the plumage creates an amazing image.

The female is graceful, looks much more modest than a drake, because she should be invisible when hatching chicks. By weight, the duck is smaller than the male. Its simple coloring creates advantages, allows you to hide from predators. Beautiful, iridescent green feathers on the wings of the female among the gray-brown plumage give a special charm.

The male mandarin duck acquires bright plumage during the mating season.

reproduction

Describing circles on the water surface around the duck, the male tries to please her. He straightens all the feathers, giving weight to his image, puffs up the crest on his head. On the shore, the drake flirts with the female, carefully fingering her feathers.

Lively males in the fight for a duck arrange serious fights. Having won the right to mate, the drake no longer leaves the female.

The most colorful duck on earth breeds its chicks in a high tree hollow growing near a forest lake or a large river with overgrown banks, channels and islets.

Waterfowl chicks are supposed to plunge into the water, barely fledged. The offspring, incubated by the duck for four weeks, selflessly rushes down, obediently following the mother's command. A desperate flight from the nest ends with a landing on weak paw membranes and still fragile wings. Almost weightless skydivers covered with fluff - ducklings begin to get acquainted with the outside world.

The female mandarin duck has inconspicuous plumage

Together with their mother, the chicks rush to a nearby pond. There is always food along the coast. Butterflies, midges, small crustaceans and worms are very tasty for voracious ducklings. They do not get tired of pecking roots, shoots of plants and other food. Sensing danger, the kids rush to take cover in the thickets or hide under water. After a month and a half, the young growth rises to the wing.

All the time while the duck is incubating the babies, the male protects the nest, carefully brings food to his girlfriend. Mandarin chicks are raised together. They are busy with this all summer months: they actively drive away predators from their offspring, get food, and feed their babies.

Birds do not choose the same nesting site twice. Unfavorable weather conditions in early June may have Negative influence for reproduction. Mandarin chicks are acutely aware of the cold.

A duck may form a nest on the ground among impenetrable thickets only as a last resort if it does not find a suitable place in a tree.

Female mandarin ducks are reluctant to build nests on the ground

Behavior of Chinese ducks

Catchy appearance is not the only feature of the bird. She makes melodic sounds. The quacking of other duck breeds contrasts with the whistling or soft squeaking of mandarins. Usually not too "talkative" birds during the breeding season do not stop communicating.

Coastal cliffs or trees are ducks' favorite habitats. Flooded logs, branches hanging over a pond, an overgrown shore, a good shelter for a tangerine in case of danger.

The bird takes off almost vertically. Easily and quickly makes maneuvers. Moves freely from branch to branch.

A duck swims, sitting high on the water, raising its tail. She does not like to dive, she goes under water when absolutely necessary, if she is wounded or feels danger.

An interesting and beautiful description of a duck is given in a poem by an unknown author:

Mandarin duck - A small miracle, Bright picture On the page of the pond. Floats quietly On the mirror surface, As if a dandy, As if at a parade. Above the water maples In fox robes They look in surprise And drop their leaves.

The Chinese duck can take off vertically from where it stands

marital fidelity

Chinese ducks, having chosen a pair, are never separated, they always stay together. They break away from the ground or the water surface and soar into the sky simultaneously.

A female with a drake symbolizes a happy family and is one of the images of Feng Shui. It is believed that in order to attract a faithful companion to fate, you need to have a couple of mandarin ducks in the apartment.

The description of the facts, which mentions the most faithful duck representative, is contained in many in Chinese literature. The bird is revered by Eastern culture as a symbol of family well-being, he - she (in Chinese, yang - yuan).

What does a tangerine eat

Plants and small representatives of the animal world can serve as food for the mandarin duck. Seeds of various herbs, shrubs, grains, aquatic plants are eaten by birds. Acorns are a favorite food. Birds collect them along the slopes of hills or on the water, sitting on oak branches. In autumn, flocks of ducks can be seen flying to fields sown with winter crops.

Food of animal origin: insects, worms, mollusks, small fish, snails.

Chinese duck looking for worms and insects on the ground

Features of the mandarin duck

In the wild, the mandarin duck lives an average of 10 years. It is actively exterminated by predatory representatives of the range. Home conditions with proper care can prolong the existence original bird up to 25 years old.

This bright bird from the Red Book will be a worthy decoration of the park zone of the city. The bird calmly gets along with other feathered inhabitants of the reservoir - a fact.

Summarizing the features of the Chinese duck or mandarin duck, we note the most interesting:

multi-colored, bright color of plumage of a drake;
nesting in the hollow of a tree at a height of 6 to 15 meters;
unusual voice;
flight maneuverability;
fidelity to the chosen couple.

Tangerines choose their mate for life

There are facts interesting for perusal of inquisitive people.

Breeding research is underway to develop new breeds of mandarin ducks. Fact: The resulting white shape scientific work known limited number people.

At home, the female often does not want to sit on the eggs for a whole month, and they have to be placed under a more assiduous hen, or artificially hatched.

In addition to the mandarin duck, the same name has aquarium fish and fish living in the fresh waters of China.

The sad facts confirm the reduction of individuals in their natural range. The disappearance of the mandarin duck is observed in the Amur rivers and taiga forests of Primorye.

» » » Mandarin duck - what kind of bird?

It might be useful to read: