Redhead vs Mandarin Duck
Aythya americana compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Redhead | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya americana | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 43.7 cm (17.2 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 1055.0 g (37.21 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in shallow coastal water; hard-shelled benthic prey dominates … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Redhead
Breeds on prairie marshes and potholes in western North America. Winters on large bays, coastal waters, lakes, and reservoirs across the southern United States and Mexico. Large concentrations on Laguna Madre, Texas.
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
Redhead
Male gives a low, mewing may-heah call; female produces a purring, rolled quacking. The mewing, nasal call is unlike any other North American duck; flocks create a cat-like chorus.
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
Redhead
Breeds in boreal and temperate North America; winters from southern Canada to northern South America along both coasts.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Redhead
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Redhead
Males have rounded rufous-red head; black breast and undertail; pale gray body. Blue-gray bill with white ring and black tip. Red eye. Females brown with paler face. Rounder head than …
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
Redhead
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a rounded rufous-red head, black breast and rear, and grey body; females are brown. Highly parasitic breeder—females frequently lay eggs in other ducks' nests. Found across North America. Winters on large bays and coastal waters.
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.