Wild Weds. 19/52 Mandarin Duck Male

Posted in Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Ducks, Nikon, Photography, Wild WednesdayTagged , , , , , , ,

Copyright ©2018 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Several months ago I went birding near Sacramento, CA. to look for two exotic ducks, one was the Wood Duck which I blogged about here.  The other was the Mandarin Duck.

The week before I visited the pond there were two pair at the pond, but the morning I went there was only a lone male.  He’s gorgeous don’t you think?

Mandarin Duck Male

He sought the shade of a palm tree, but soon came out from under again, thankfully!

Mandarin Duck Male

Here are several facts about the Mandarin Duck:

The Mandarin Duck Drake is widely considered the world’s most beautiful of the ducks. It’s a native of China and Japan.  They favor small wooded ponds and avoid large bodies of water.

There are limited populations in the United States; they’re usually escapees from captivity.  China exported thousands of Mandarins, but the trade was banned in 1975.

They are wonderful fliers, able to fly through trees, with remarkable agility.

They will often perch in trees, but the female will lay her eggs (9-12 eggs) in a hole or cavity of a tree, or if a nesting box if one is available.  Once the Female has gathered her brood she takes them straight to the water!  Mandarin Ducks only pair up for a season. New pairs form again in the Fall/Autumn. ~https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetapedia/21-facts-on-mandarin-duck

I was thrilled there was still one there for me to see and photograph.

Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm @500mm| f/8| 1/200s| ISO 800| Tripod w/Wimberley Sidekick Gimbal Head

more to come…

 

48 thoughts on “Wild Weds. 19/52 Mandarin Duck Male”

  6. I admire your adding research to your posts with nature and creatures, Deborah. This raises your posts above the other photographers. . . You are miles above the rest. Simply the best in my mind, dear friend. hugs! 💞

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      1. You can see every color, feather and interesting details in these magnificent ducks, because of your skill of photography. So glad I had you floating but I am not always say what I should in appreciation of your photos. I don’t need to subscribe to a professional magazine! xo

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  8. I love these ducks! They don’t even look real. The couple of times I have seen them they were alone in the middle of a large group of various other birds and ducks. Like a splash of paint on canvas. Great shots Deborah!

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  19. Wow – that certainly is one beautiful duck. It’s so colorful and it has an interesting shape in the water. Thanks for the facts, otherwise, I’d be googling right about now. And, thanks for taking the trip and sharing the results with us.

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    1. Thanks very much for the comment Dan!
      He was worth the drive over. It had been a few years since I last saw one. That was a lone male too. Probably another escapee. We thought so at the time. 🙂

      I’m glad you appreciated the little bit of facts I included too.

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