Psilos
Wildfowl Photography |
Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) |
Second to none this is the most colourful
and the most striking of all wildfowl. A favourite amongst many it has
the power to stop anyone in their tracks that do not know it. In the
wild these ducks can be found in eastern Siberia, China, and Japan where
they live in the forests. Their diet consists of water plants, rice
and other grains. |
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Mandarins are cavity nesters and in order
to stay camaflagued the female (above) has none of the rich colours
of the male. The Mandarin is held in high esteem by the Japanese and
the Chinese. In these countries, they serve as a symbol of happiness
and marital fidelity. |
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photo courtest of Steven Geary copyright ©
2006 |
Because of this birds spectacular feathers
it is not surprising that it can be found in private collections all
over the world. Other colour forms can also be found. The bird in the
photo above is a male Silver Mandarin. Sadly in the wild this bird is
very threatened and it is thought that the current Asian population
may be under 20,000 birds. Around the UK this bird
can also be found as an escapee. |
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