Yellow-billed Duck vs Mandarin Duck
Anas undulata compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Yellow-billed Duck | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas undulata | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 48.1 cm (18.9 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 907.6666666666666 g (32.02 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates; uses serrated bill to grip prey; diet shifts … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 4-12 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Yellow-billed Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, and dams across eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to the Cape. Tolerates agricultural impoundments and urban wetlands. Largely sedentary.
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
Yellow-billed Duck
Female gives a loud, descending quacking series; male utters a soft, raspy rehb note. The female's strong quacking call is the dominant sound at sub-Saharan African wetlands.
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
Yellow-billed Duck
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Sedentary in freshwater wetlands.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Yellow-billed Duck
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Duck
Brown body with scaly pale-edged feathers; head brown with paler face and throat. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with black central stripe. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Sexes similar.
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
Yellow-billed Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck with a striking bright yellow bill. Common in freshwater wetlands across eastern and southern Africa. Often found in groups near reed beds. Closely related to the Mallard lineage. Common in parks and on large lakes.
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.