CANARD MANDARiN
Class: Birds
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aix
Species: Galericulata
Geographic distribution: Eastern Siberia, China, and Japan
Habitat: Ponds, small lakes, and pools.
Size: 51 cm / 68 to 74 cm
Weight: 450 to 700 g
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Incubation: 28 to 30 days
Clutch: 9 to 12 eggs
Sexual Maturity: 1 year
Diet: Aquatic insects, small fish, seeds, fruits, etc.
Protection Status: IUCN Status VU – Least Concern
Description
AnatidésAixgalericulataLike most ducks, the mandarin duck is highlysexually dimorphic. Males are distinguished by theirbright colors, while females are more subdued intheir brown plumage. After the breeding season,males undergo a moult during which they lose theirbeautiful colors, resembling females more closely.
Threats and preservation
In Asia, the decline of this species is due to thedestruction of its habitat. In 1980, the Japanesegovernment even ordered three thousand pairsfrom Dutch breeders to reintroduce these ducksand repopulate the country’s lakes
