Mandarin Ducks
Aix galericulata
A Mandarin drake swimming
Photo courtesy of John Weingart
This beautiful little Asian duck is fairly easy to keep in captivity. A cavity nester like its relative the Wood Duck, it prefers to nest off the ground in a hole in a tree or similar situation. An average clutch is 8 eggs and the incubation period is 29 days.
In breeding plumage the male is unmistakeable for any other species, with the conspicuous orange "sails" on his back.
Excellent fliers, these birds must either be pinioned or kept in covered aviaries.
Mandarin Links:
Squaw Creek's Mandarin Duck page -- birds for sale here
The Gazette's page on raising the Wood Duck and Mandarin Duck
Show-Me Silkies & Stuff has Mandarins
Mandarins at Roman's Acres
Mandarins at Texas Peafowl Farm
You can find 'em at Uberchic Ranch!
A pair of Mandarins
Photo courtesy of Alex Levitskiy & Blue Creek Aviaries
A Mandarin drake
Photo courtesy of Squaw Creek Farm
A pair of Mandarin Ducks
Photo courtesy of Pete Akers
Frontal shot of a Mandarin drake
Photo courtesy of Jeff Gifford
Head shot of a drake
Photo © Nicole Reggia
Mandarin pair swimming
Photo courtesy of Daniel Sörensen
My young pair of Mandarins
A pair of White Mandarins
Photo courtesy of Danny Bulach
How to tell a Mandarin drake from a Wood Duck drake: that's the Woody on the right
And how to tell the females apart (which is harder); the
Mandarins are on the left -- in Mandarins the eye is on the line, in
Woodies the eye is in the line
Large photos courtesy of
Maurice Houston
Field; inset photo of Mandarin head courtesy of Pete Akers; inset photo of
Woodies courtesy of andy@gm0eco.com
Another pair of Mandarins (with a Woody in the background)
A Mandarin pair on the water
Photo courtesy of Danny Bulach
A nervous young Mandarin drake
A drake with his crest displaying
Photos courtesy of Pete Akers
Apricot Mandarin drakes
Photos courtesy of Michel Verbeke
An Apricot hen
Photo courtesy of Michel Verbeke
Mandarin hens
Photo © Nicole Reggia
Mandarin drakes
Photo courtesy of Danny Bulach
White Mandarins
Photo courtesy of Ian Gereg
Two young males of the White form of the Mandarin (don't ask me why they call it White!)
A White Mandarin female
A couple more Mandarin drakes
Photos © Nicole Reggia
Another pair of White Mandarins
Photos courtesy of Ian Gereg
Another Mandarin drake
Photo courtesy of Daniel Sörensen
Mandarins on my pond
Photo courtesy of Ginger Carson
Here's a nest box good for both Woodies and Mandarins.
Hang it on a tree or post a few feet above the ground. If the birds are
pinioned, you need a ramp for them to get to it.
Photo courtesy of Cody Everett
Mandarin ducklings
Photo © Nicole Reggia
A clutch of Mandarin ducklings
Photo courtesy of Pete Akers
Another clutch of Mandarin ducklings
Photo courtesy of Brice Wonders
Up close and personal with Mandarin ducklings
Photos © Nicole Reggia
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Direct questions and comments to Barry at FeatherSite -- questions and comments
