Mandarin Duck vs Steller's Eider
Aix galericulata compared with Polysticta stelleri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Steller's Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Polysticta stelleri |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) | 40.7 cm (16.0 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 815.75 g (28.77 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats; diet invertebrate-dominated. |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 3-10 |
| 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.
Steller's Eider
Breeds on low-lying coastal tundra in Arctic Russia and occasionally Alaska. Winters on shallow rocky sea coasts, kelp beds, and sheltered bays in the Baltic Sea and Pacific coast of Alaska. Listed as Vulnerable.
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.
Steller's Eider
Male produces a low, soft cooing note; female gives a guttural, grunting purr. Quieter than other eiders; the male's gentle cooing is unlike the louder calls of the Common Eider.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Steller's Eider
Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and on large interior lakes of the US.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Steller's Eider
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
Steller's Eider
Males have white head with green nape spot, black eye patch and chin; orange-buff underparts; black back with white wing patches. Females mottled dark brown with blue speculum bordered white. …
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.
Steller's Eider
A small sea duck. Males have a white head with green facial markings, black throat patch, chestnut underparts, and white back; females are dark brown. The smallest eider. Breeds in Arctic tundra; winters in Baltic Sea and Alaskan coastal waters. Vulnerable to contaminants and oil spills.