Mandarin Duck vs King Eider
Aix galericulata compared with Somateria spectabilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | King Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Somateria spectabilis |
| 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) | 53.3 cm (21.0 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 1507.5 g (53.18 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Dives for sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans in Arctic coastal waters. Shifts to freshwater invertebrates … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 1-16 |
| 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.
King Eider
Male produces a melodious, ascending ooo-wuh cooing; female gives a guttural grunt. The male's haunting, dove-like call is one of the most atmospheric sounds of the High Arctic in spring.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
King Eider
Circumpolar High Arctic breeder in North America, Greenland, Svalbard, and Russia. Winters at sea in the North Atlantic and Bering Sea.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
King 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
King Eider
Male has bluish-grey crown, pale greenish cheeks, vivid orange-red frontal shield, black back and wings, and white breast patch. Female is warm rufous-brown with dark crescentic barring throughout.
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.
King Eider
A large sea duck (~1.5 kg) of the family Anatidae, males adorned with an ornate orange frontal shield and vivid plumage. Inhabits Arctic coasts and tundra, migrating to subarctic seas in winter. Dives up to 25 m to forage on mussels, clams, and sea urchins. Least Concern; circumpolar breeding population remains stable.