Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulata (Linnaeus, 1758) MN MANDA 1780
Family: Anseriformes > Anatidae

Mandarin Duck, Neil Calbrade

The drake Mandarin Duck is gaudy and one of our most resplendent ducks. The female is contrastingly conservative, a smart grey and brown.

A timid duck of river valleys and small waterbodies with well-vegetated margins. These small ducks nest in tree cavities and will use nest boxes. Up to 12 ducklings jump from the nest before they can fly and follow the female to the nearest water.

Native of Asia, the Mandarin Duck became naturalized in the UK in the 20th century and is now found across England and parts of Scotland and Wales, with the Wetland Bird Survey reporting an upward UK trend. Outside of the breeding season, Mandarin Ducks gather in flocks relatively close to their breeding sites, although bird ringing has revealed a few long-distance movements.

Exploring the trends for Mandarin Duck

Our Trends Explorer will also give you the latest insight into how the UK's Mandarin Duck population is changing.

trends explorer

Identification

Mandarin Duck identification is usually straightforward.

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Status and Trends

Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.

CONSERVATION STATUS

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

POPULATION SIZE

POPULATION CHANGE

The causes of change are uncertain. However, the increases following introduction may have been aided by lack of intraspecific competition and the ability of this species to exploit a previously unoccupied habitat; there is no evidence yet that density-dependent effects have slowed the rate of increase.

Exploring the trends for Mandarin Duck

Our Trends Explorer will also give you the latest insight into how the UK's Mandarin Duck population is changing.

trends explorer

DISTRIBUTION

Away from the swathe of records in southern and central England, the breeding distribution map shows tight clustering in areas of suitable breeding habitat such as Jersey, south Devon, Kielder Forest in Northumberland, Argyll Forest Park and around Inverness and Berwick. They are scarce in Wales.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

DISTRIBUTION CHANGE

There has been considerable range expansion since the 1988–91 Breeding Atlas, particularly through southern and central England, with an overall 123% increase in range size.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

SEASONALITY

Mandarin Ducks are localised residents and can be seen throughout the year.

Weekly occurence of Mandarin Duck from BirdTrack
Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells) and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Foreign locations of Mandarin Duck ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland
Encountered in: Winter (Nov-Feb); Spring (Mar-Apr); Summer (May-Jul); Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information about Mandarin Duck, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Exploring the trends for Mandarin Duck

Our Trends Explorer will also give you the latest insight into how the UK's Mandarin Duck population is changing.

trends explorer

SURVIVAL & LONGEVITY

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report

Exploring the trends for Mandarin Duck

Our Trends Explorer will also give you the latest insight into how the UK's Mandarin Duck population is changing.

trends explorer

BIOMETRICS

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Hwyaden Mandarin
Catalan: ànec mandarí
Czech: kachnicka mandarínská
Danish: Mandarin-and
Dutch: Mandarijneend
Estonian: mandariinpart
Finnish: mandariinisorsa
French: Canard mandarin
German: Mandarinente
Hungarian: mandarinréce
Icelandic: Mandarínönd
Irish: Lacha Mhandrach
Italian: Anatra mandarina
Latvian: mandarinpile
Lithuanian: mandarinine antis
Norwegian: Mandarinand
Polish: mandarynka
Portuguese: pato-mandarim
Slovak: kacicka mandarínska
Slovenian: mandarinka
Spanish: Pato mandarín
Swedish: mandarinand

Research

Interpretation and scientific publications about Mandarin Duck from BTO scientists.

CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

Causes of change

No further information is available.

Further information on causes of change

No further information is available.

Information about conservation actions

As a non-native introduced breeding species, this species does not have a conservation status in the UK. The native population in Asia is currently classified as being of least concern.

It is believed that the Mandarin Duck is unlikely to have any significant ecological impact on native species, and a risk assessment in the Netherlands classified the species as a low risk (van Kleunen & Lemaire 2015). Although this may also be the case across most of England, there are concerns that the species may impact on other hole-nesting ducks (e.g. Goldeneye and Goosander), particularly in the core Goldeneye breeding area in northern Scotland (Cosgrove 2003), and hence policy makers may need to consider whether any conservation action may be required in order to protect these native breeding species.

Links to more information from ConservationEvidence.com

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