The mandarin duck is a perching duck species native to the East Palearctic. It is medium-sized, at 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan. It is closely related to the North American wood duck, the only other member of the genus Aix.
Conservation status: Least Concern (Population decreasing)
Mass: 0.94 – 1.5 lbs
Scientific name: Aix galericulata
Family: Anatidae
Kingdom: Animalia
Order: Anseriformes
Phylum: Chordata
Mandarin ducks breed in eastern Siberia, Japan, and China, and winter in Japan and southern China. In Britain, there is a small number of these birds in a free-flying population, stemming from the release of captive-bred ducks. Mandarin ducks prefer to breed in the dense, shrubby forested edges of rivers and lakes. In winter, they may occur in marshes, flooded fields, and open rivers. While these ducks prefer fresh water, they may also be seen wintering in coastal lagoons and estuaries. In their introduced European range, they live in a more open habitat than in their native range, around the edges of lakes, water meadows, and cultivated areas with woods nearby.