Mandarin Duck vs Black Scoter
Aix galericulata compared with Melanitta americana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Black Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Melanitta americana |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 1046.1 g (36.90 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Dives for molluscs, particularly mussels and clams, in coastal waters. Takes aquatic insects and plant … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 5-11 |
| 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
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.
Black Scoter
Male produces a low, melodious whistle; female gives a harsh, grating call. Closely related to Common Scoter; voice very similar; heard on North American Pacific and Atlantic coasts in winter.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Black Scoter
Breeds in boreal forests and tundra of Alaska and northern Canada. Winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts south to Baja California and Florida.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Black Scoter
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Black Scoter
Male is pure glossy black throughout with a prominent bright orange-yellow knob at bill base. Female is dark sooty-brown with pale buff cheeks and foreneck contrasting with darker cap and …
About These Birds
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.
Black Scoter
A medium-sized sea duck (~1 kg) in family Anatidae, males entirely black with a bold orange-yellow knob at the bill base. Breeds on boreal and tundra lakes of North America and eastern Russia; winters coastally. Dives for mollusks and crustaceans. Near Threatened following population declines linked to habitat loss on breeding grounds.