Hooded Merganser vs Mandarin Duck
Lophodytes cucullatus compared with Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hooded Merganser | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lophodytes cucullatus | Aix galericulata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 37.3 cm (14.7 in) | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 638.0 g (22.50 oz) | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for small fish, aquatic invertebrates, and frogs in clear freshwater streams and ponds. Uses … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-18 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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
Hooded Merganser
Male produces a low, rolling rolling-tum tumbling call; female gives a harsh, grating quack. The male's frog-like rolling call is unique among North American ducks during winter courtship.
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
Hooded Merganser
Breeds in forested wetlands of North America from southern Canada to the northern United States. Winters on rivers and lakes south to Mexico.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Hooded Merganser
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Hooded Merganser
Male has fan-shaped black-and-white erectile crest; black head and neck, white breast with two black bars, rich cinnamon flanks. Female is greyish-brown with rusty-cinnamon crest, paler below.
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
Hooded Merganser
A small fish-eating duck (~640 g) of family Anatidae, males bearing a dramatic fan-shaped black and white crest. Breeds in wooded swamps, rivers, and lakes in North America, nesting in tree cavities; winters on sheltered coastal and inland waters. Uses keen underwater vision to hunt fish and crayfish. Least Concern; benefiting from nest box programs.
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.