Fulvous Whistling-duck vs Mandarin Duck
Dendrocygna bicolor compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fulvous Whistling-duck | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna bicolor | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 44.6 cm (17.6 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 733.4 g (25.87 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes grasses and sedges in Arctic tundra; large migratory goose; winter diet dominated by agricultural … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-16 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Freshwater marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, shallow lakes, and river margins across warm tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following rains.
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
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A soft, rhythmic 'ka-WHEE-00' whistle. Flocks give continuous soft whistling sounds during flight over tropical wetlands. Also gives shorter 'kee' contact notes.
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
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Breeds across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe to eastern Siberia; winters from Britain to the Mediterranean and South Asia.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Warm fulvous-buff underparts with creamy white flank stripes. Upperparts dark brown with pale buff feather edges. Dark brown stripe down back of neck. Long bluish-gray legs. Sexes identical.
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
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with warm tawny-brown body, dark brown back, creamy-white flank stripes, and a blue-grey bill. Among the most cosmopolitan of all waterfowl, occurring in North and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following seasonal rainfall.
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.