White-winged Duck vs Mandarin Duck
Asarcornis scutulata compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-winged Duck | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Asarcornis scutulata | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 68.3 cm (26.9 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 2950.0 g (104.06 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
White-winged Duck
Undisturbed lowland tropical forest near slow rivers, pools, and forest swamps at low elevations in northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sumatra. Requires large trees with nest cavities near permanent water.
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
White-winged Duck
Critically endangered; extremely rare in wild. Gives low guttural hissing calls and soft wing-beating sounds. Vocalizations in wild scarcely documented given its rarity.
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
White-winged Duck
Breeds in northern Eurasia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa. A classic Palearctic–African migrant with a wide wintering range.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
White-winged Duck
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
White-winged Duck
Dark brown body with pale spotting on head and neck. Bold white wing patch visible in flight. Yellowish-orange bill; legs orange. Head pale buffish-white speckled brown. Critically endangered SE Asian …
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
White-winged Duck
A large dark duck with a pale speckled head, brownish body, and broad white wing patch visible in flight. One of Asia's most endangered ducks. Found in undisturbed lowland forest near rivers in South and Southeast Asia. Nests in large tree hollows. Threatened by deforestation and hunting.
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.