The mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) is a small perching duck native to the East Palearctic, closely related to the North American wood duck. Males are brightly colored with a red bill and purple breast, while females have more muted grayish-lavender plumage.
Mandarin ducks have a large introduced population in the British Isles and Western Europe, as well as smaller populations in North America, including a free-flying group in California. They prefer breeding near dense, shrubby forests close to rivers and lakes, nesting in tree cavities.
Mandarin ducklings resemble mallard ducklings, but their eye stripe ends at the eye. The species faces declining numbers in East Asia due to habitat loss and exports but thrives in non-native regions where they do not compete with native ducks. Their diet consists mainly of aquatic plants, seeds, snails, insects, and small fish, varying by season. They prefer to feed at dawn or dusk and rest in trees during the day.
