About
The Mandarin Duck is widely considered the most beautiful duck in the world. The breeding male is extraordinary: a metallic green-purple crest sweeps back from the head, chestnut-orange sails rise from the back, and the body is adorned with orange, green, white, and purple. This intricate plumage has made it a symbol of love and fidelity in East Asian art for centuries.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Physical Characteristics
Wingspan
65–75 cm
Length
41–49 cm
Weight
430–690 g
Ecology
Habitat
Wooded streams, ponds, lakes surrounded by dense forest
Diet
Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails
Distribution
East Asia — China, Japan, Korea, Russia (Amur); feral in Western Europe