The male Mandarin has a red beak, large white eye-stripe, reddish face and whiskers. A purple breast with two vertical white bars, ruddy flanks, two orange sails at the back, and yellow legs and feet.
The female is grey/brown with a thin white eye-stripe which circles the eye, grey beak, and dark yellow legs.
The male in eclipse plumage is similar to the female but has a reddish bill and visible blue wing feathers.
Typical Adult is 41-49cm (16-19in).
Plants, seeds, nuts, snails, insects, fish, and feeds in rice paddies in the east.
Densely wooded areas near shallow lakes, marshes or ponds. Found in the Far East including south-eastern Russia, north-eastern China, Japan, and Taiwan. Winters further south in south-eastern China. Due to frequent escaped Mandarins from collections there is now a large feral population established in the UK. There are also isolated feral populations in Europe and the USA.
April and May in UK.
9 to 12 (creamy white colour) incubated by female only.
River Cottage's collection of Wood Ducks changes regularly. Please visit us regularly to keep up-to-date with our flock
Click the button above to add a pair of Silver Mandarin Wood Ducks to 'My Enquiries' which is available at the top of each page, and similar to a 'basket' on an ecommerce website!
Note: All birds are subject to availability and we reserve the right to alter prices as the market and our costs dictate. Viewing is strictly by appointment. Please contact us for futher details