Mandarin Duck vs Hartlaub's Duck
Aix galericulata compared with Pteronetta hartlaubii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Hartlaub's Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Pteronetta hartlaubii |
| 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) | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 910.0 g (32.10 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Eats seeds, aquatic invertebrates, and plant matter; dabbles in ponds and marshes; diet more invertebrate-heavy … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 7-11 |
| 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.
Hartlaub's Duck
Tropical rainforest streams, forest pools, and shaded swamps from Guinea and Sierra Leone east through the Congo Basin to Uganda and western Kenya. Requires undisturbed riverine forest with shaded water.
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.
Hartlaub's Duck
A low, nasal 'quack' and soft 'kek-kek'. Generally quieter than other perching ducks. Calls from dense Central and West African rainforest where it is rarely observed.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Hartlaub's Duck
Breeds in wetlands across Eurasia; winters from Africa and the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Hartlaub's 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
Hartlaub's Duck
Dark chocolate-brown body; white patches at side of head distinctive. Males have dark blue frontal shield extending from bill. Wings show pale blue-gray inner forewing. Legs gray. West African forest …
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.
Hartlaub's Duck
A large dark duck with a chestnut-brown body, dark head and neck, pale blue speculum, and bright red base to the bill in males. Found in tropical African rainforest streams and forest swamps. One of Africa's least-studied ducks. Lives singly or in pairs in shaded forest waterways.