Mandarin Duck vs Spectacled Duck
Aix galericulata compared with Speculanas specularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mandarin Duck | Spectacled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix galericulata | Speculanas specularis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 70.0 cm (27.6 in) | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 570.0 g (20.11 oz) | 1248.25 g (44.03 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 7-14 | 4-9 |
| 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.
Spectacled Duck
Clear fast-flowing rivers and streams in temperate forest from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Requires cold turbulent mountain rivers with riparian forest. Avoids slow or muddy 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.
Spectacled Duck
Emits deep, guttural quacking notes; alarm is a loud, repeated honking bark. Calls are resonant and powerful, carrying far along fast-flowing Patagonian rivers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Spectacled Duck
Breeds in wetlands from Iceland to Siberia; winters in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Conservation Status
Mandarin Duck
Spectacled 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
Spectacled Duck
Dark brown body with fine pale speckling. Distinctive white 'spectacle' rings around eyes. Iridescent greenish-bronze speculum. Underparts pale buff-brown. Bill grayish; legs orange. Andean and Patagonian streams.
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.
Spectacled Duck
A large dark brown duck with distinctive white spectacle-like eye-rings, a pale buff face, and a prominent white speculum. Found in fast-flowing forest rivers of southern South America. Shy and elusive; inhabits clear rushing rivers through temperate forest. Also known as the Bronze-winged Duck.