Mandarin Duck
Nettarufina
Photographed at
Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada Sep 2011
Bird Kingdom, Niagara Canada Feb 2012
The male is an unmistakable bird. The female is similar to female Wood Duck, with a
white eye-ring and stripe running back from the eye.
The species once widespread in Asia have reduced populations to 7,000 pairs in Asia from
exports and the destruction of forest habitat.
Mandarin Ducks nest in
cavities in trees close to water. Unlike other ducks, the drakes will reunite
with the hens along with their offspring after incubation, leaving the female
to secure the eggs on her own.
Shortly after the hatch, the
mother flies to the ground and coaxes the ducklings to leap from the nest.
After all of the ducklings are out of the tree, they will follow their mother
to a nearby body of water where they would usually reunite with the father, who
rejoins the family and protect the ducklings with the mother.
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