Mandarin duck
The mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) is a perching duck species native to the East Palearctic. It is sexually dimorphic, males showing a dramatic difference from the females. It is medium-sized, at 41–49 cm (16–19 in) long with a 65–75 cm (26–30 in) wingspan. It is closely related to the North American wood duck, the only other member of the genus Aix. 'Aix' is an Ancient Greek word which was used by Aristotle to refer to an unknown diving bird, and 'galericulata' is the Latin for a wig, derived from galerum, a cap or bonnet. Outside of its native range, the mandarin duck has a large introduced population in the British Isles and Western Europe, with additional smaller introductions in North America.
| Mandarin duck Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Male and female mandarin ducks at Martin Mere, UK | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Aix |
| Species: | A. galericulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Aix galericulata | |
| The native range of the mandarin duck, and parts of its introduced range where it is established breeding
Breeding
Native resident
Migrant
Winter visitor
Introduced resident | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Anas galericulata Linnaeus, 1758 | |
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