Cape Teal vs Mandarin Duck
Anas capensis compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cape Teal | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas capensis | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.6 cm (15.2 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 423.8333333333333 g (14.95 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; digs in mudflats; diet heavily invertebrate year-round. | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 5-15 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Cape Teal
Saline, alkaline, and freshwater lakes and pans across sub-Saharan Africa from the Sahel to South Africa. Strongly associated with soda and saline lakes in East Africa's Rift Valley. Nomadic.
Mandarin Duck
Wooded lakes, rivers, and ponds surrounded by dense forest. Unlike most ducks, regularly perches in trees and nests in tree cavities.
Song & Call Comparison
Cape Teal
Female gives a soft, nasal quacking series; male produces a high, piping whistle. The male's clear, piping call is unexpected for a teal; heard on Cape and Namibian estuaries.
Mandarin Duck
Male gives a low whistled 'hib' or 'weep'. Female utters a soft quacking 'kek'. Generally quiet and secretive. No loud territorial song; vocalizations subtle and brief.
Geographic Range & Migration
Cape Teal
Breeds across the Palearctic; winters on coasts from western Africa around to Southeast Asia and Australia.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Cape Teal
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Cape Teal
Pale gray-brown plumage with fine dark spotting on breast. Pink bill with dark ridge. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Pale head. Sexes similar. African saline and alkaline lake specialist.
Mandarin Duck
Breeding males have an elaborate pattern of orange, green, white, and purple with distinctive orange sail feathers on the back. Females are grey-brown with a white eye-ring and stripe.
Small red bill in breeding males, pinkish in females
About These Birds
Cape Teal
A small pale grey teal with pink bill, orange-red eye, and green speculum. The palest duck in Africa. Found on saline and alkaline lakes and pans across sub-Saharan Africa. Nomadic; follows shifting water availability. Feeds by filter-dabbling.
Mandarin Duck
The mandarin duck is widely considered the most beautiful duck in the world. In East Asian culture, mandarin ducks symbolize love and fidelity because they form strong pair bonds. Unlike most ducks, mandarins nest in tree holes up to 9 meters above the ground, and day-old ducklings must leap to the ground.