Mandarin Duck vs Ruddy Duck
Aix galericulata compared with Oxyura jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Ruddy Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) | 27.9 cm (11.0 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 586.6666666666666 g (20.69 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Dives for aquatic plant seeds, roots, and invertebrates in freshwater marshes. Uses stiff tail as … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 5-15 |
| 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.
Ruddy Duck
Male produces a mechanical, drumming bok-bok-bok staccato beat; female gives a harsh, nasal quack. The male's rapid drum-roll call on the bill during display is startlingly loud and distinctive.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Ruddy Duck
Breeds across interior North America from western Canada south to Mexico. Winters on coasts and inland waters south to northern South America.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Ruddy Duck
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
Ruddy Duck
Breeding male has vivid rufous-chestnut body, black crown, white cheeks, and bright sky-blue bill; stiff tail often cocked upright. Female is dull brown with pale cheek crossed by single dark …
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.
Ruddy Duck
A compact stiff-tailed diving duck (~590 g) in family Anatidae, males chestnut-bodied with a sky-blue bill in breeding season. Native to North and South America; an introduced invasive in Europe threatening the White-headed Duck through hybridization. Breeds on freshwater marshes; dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates. Least Concern in native range.