Mandarin Duck vs Comb Duck
Aix galericulata compared with Sarkidiornis sylvicola
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Comb Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Sarkidiornis sylvicola |
| 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) | 60.9 cm (24.0 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 1817.5 g (64.11 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and invertebrates; dabbles and sifts shallow water; diet varies widely … |
| Clutch Size | 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.
Comb Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, flooded savannas, and seasonally inundated forest in lowland tropical South America from Panama south to Bolivia, Brazil, and northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near permanent 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.
Comb Duck
A soft, nasal 'wuk-wuk' call. Both sexes give similar quiet calls. Generally a less vocal duck than most waterfowl. Gives a rattling wingbeat sound during flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Comb Duck
Breeds in the prairie pothole region of central North America; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Comb 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
Comb Duck
Males have white head densely spotted black; black back with blue-green iridescence; white underparts with gray flanks. Prominent black fleshy knob on bill. Females smaller, duller, lack knob. South American.
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.
Comb Duck
A large pied duck with a black-and-white body and, in males, a large black knob on the upper mandible during breeding season. The New World Comb Duck found from Panama to northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near lakes. Feeds by dabbling and grazing in wetland margins.