Southern Pintail vs Mandarin Duck
Anas eatoni compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Southern Pintail | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas eatoni | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.6 cm (16.0 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 497.0 g (17.53 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; eats hard-shelled prey; diet shifts between freshwater and … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Southern Pintail
Restricted to the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen and Crozet archipelagos. Inhabits freshwater streams, ponds, and coastal wetlands. Largely terrestrial for a duck; forages on land among tussock grasses.
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
Southern Pintail
Female produces a quiet, nasal quacking; male gives a soft whistle. Subdued vocalizations suit this sub-Antarctic island duck; calls are seldom heard and rarely documented.
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
Southern Pintail
Breeds in Iceland and high-Arctic Norway; winters on the coasts of northwestern Europe and the British Isles.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Southern Pintail
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Southern Pintail
Brown, mottled plumage; head brown with pale cheeks. Pointed tail; males slightly longer-tailed. Grayish bill. Speculum bronze-green. Sexes similar with modest dimorphism. Subantarctic island endemic; two subspecies.
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
Southern Pintail
A small island duck found on the remote Kerguelen and Crozet archipelagos in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. Closely related to Northern Pintail. Non-migratory island endemic; small population threatened by introduced predators and overgrazing by rabbits.
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.