Mandarin duck: the only ducks of Russia that nest on trees

Mandarin ducks are one of the most interesting representatives of the entire duck family. The unusually bright color of the males against the background of the nondescript appearance of the partner made this species the most recognizable of all ducks in our country.

Mandarin ducks (lat.Aix galericulata) live in the Far East of Russia, as well as in countries of East Asia. They are not in vain classified as a forest duck: they choose forests for life, where there are rivers and lakes. In addition to our country, mandarin ducks live in China, North Korea, Japan and Taiwan. They were successfully acclimatized in the UK and the USA. Cute ducks can be found in parks in many parts of the world, where they always live in pairs.

Mandarin ducks are migratory birds that, with the onset of autumn, move to the southern regions. In Russia, the northern parts of the range are located, so in our country they can only be found in the summer.

Mandarin ducks are a prime example of sexual demorphism in the animal kingdom. This term refers to the external difference between males and females of the same species. While female mandarin ducks have a modest camouflage color, making them invisible against the background of the surrounding landscape, the males look colorful and elegant.

Mandarin ducks are monogamous, that is, the resulting pairs are preserved throughout the life of the partners. Interestingly, females nest on a tree. While all the other ducks build nests and hatch chicks on the ground, tangerines prefer to protect their offspring. In addition to them, another representative of the forest duck genus, the Caroline duck, which lives in North America, acts in this way.

The tangerine nest is located in the hollow of a tree at a height of 1.5 to 15 meters. In the clutch, as a rule, from 7 to 14 eggs, and the female sometimes leaves the nest, covering the eggs with her own down. At this height, future offspring are relatively safe, so the mother can afford to go away.

Mandarin ducks belong to brood birds, that is, immediately after the birth of the chicks are able to move and find food with the help of their parents. Newborn ducklings bravely leave the nest: they just stand on the edge and jump down. Often flapping wings, helpless creatures dive from a height of up to 15 meters and land on a forest bed of dry leaves and last year's grass. Strange as it may seem, mortality and injuries during such a descent are practically absent.

Due to illegal hunting, as well as deforestation - their natural habitat, mandarin ducks have become rare throughout their range. In our country, this species has the status of a rare species and is listed in the Red Book. Interestingly, the image of a mandarin duck is often found in Chinese culture. A pair of tangerines symbolizing fidelity are frequent heroes of pictorial plots. And no Chinese wedding is complete without images of these ducks: they symbolize fidelity and happiness in a marriage.

Watch the video: Ducklings Jump from Nest 50 Feet in the Air (May 2024).