Baer's Pochard vs Mandarin Duck
Aythya baeri compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Baer's Pochard | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya baeri | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 707.25 g (24.95 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey in coastal shallow-water … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-13 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Baer's Pochard
Breeds on lakes and rivers in boreal forests of eastern Siberia and northeastern China. Winters on freshwater lakes and wetlands in eastern and southeastern Asia. Critically Endangered; tiny remaining population.
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
Baer's Pochard
Male gives a low, grating wheeze; female produces a harsh quacking series. Calls resemble Tufted Duck but slightly softer; among the rarest duck calls in East Asia due to its …
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
Baer's Pochard
Breeds in Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters at sea off both US coasts and in the Great Lakes during migration.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Baer's Pochard
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Baer's Pochard
Males have dark glossy greenish-black head; chestnut breast; white flanks and undertail. White eye. Females brown with chestnut breast and pale face patch. White wing stripe in flight. Critically endangered …
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
Baer's Pochard
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy green-black head, chestnut breast, and white flanks; females are brown. Critically Endangered; one of the fastest declining ducks in Asia. Breeds in eastern Siberia; winters in eastern China and Southeast Asia. Threatened by 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.