Blue Duck vs Mandarin Duck
Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue Duck | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 45.6 cm (18.0 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 861.75 g (30.40 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Eats aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; dabbles in shallow fresh water; invertebrate diet peaks … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 5-6 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Blue Duck
Fast-flowing clear turbulent mountain rivers and streams in pristine native forest at 300–1,500 m in both main islands of New Zealand. Requires undisturbed riparian habitat with abundant aquatic invertebrates.
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
Blue Duck
A soft, musical whistle from fast-flowing South Island rivers. Call is a clear 'whio' — giving the bird its Maori name. Also gives a soft, reedy 'squeak'. Endangered; rarely heard.
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
Blue Duck
Breeds on open prairie wetlands of the Great Plains; winters in shallow estuaries and marshes along the Gulf of Mexico.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Blue Duck
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue Duck
Distinctive slate-blue-gray plumage; breast spotted with chestnut-brown in both sexes. Pale bill with flexible pink lobes at tip. Chestnut eye. Sexes similar; adapted to fast-flowing mountain streams in New Zealand.
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
Blue Duck
A medium-sized blue-grey torrent duck with a pale pink bill tipped with a distinctive flap of skin, and chestnut-spotted breast. Endemic to New Zealand's fast-flowing mountain rivers. One of New Zealand's most endangered endemics. Monogamous with strong site fidelity to individual river territories.
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.