Mandarin Duck vs Northern Fulmar
Aix galericulata comparé à Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Mandarin Duck | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aix galericulata | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Procellariiformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Procellariidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 44,0 cm (17.3 in) | 47,0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Envergure | 70,0 cm (27.6 in) | 107,0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Poids | 570,0 g (20.11 oz) | 750,0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Taille de la couvée | 7-14 | 1 |
| 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.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
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.
Northern Fulmar
A nasal, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kak' or grunting 'uh-uh-uh' at the nest and colony. Less melodic than petrels. In flight gives occasional single nasal calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Statut de conservation
Mandarin Duck
Northern Fulmar
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
Northern Fulmar
Light morph: white head and underparts with grey wings and back. Dark morph: entirely grey. Tube-nosed bill and stiff-winged flight distinctive at sea.
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Key Differences
- • Weight: Mandarin Duck (570g) vs Northern Fulmar (750g)
- • Length: Mandarin Duck (44 cm) vs Northern Fulmar (47 cm)
- • Wingspan: Mandarin Duck (70 cm) vs Northern Fulmar (107 cm)
- • Family: Mandarin Duck (Anatidae) vs Northern Fulmar (Procellariidae)
- • Habitat: Mandarin Duck prefers Wooded lakes, rivers, and ponds surrounded by dense forest; Northern Fulmar prefers Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy
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.
Northern Fulmar
The northern fulmar is a long-lived seabird that can survive over 40 years. It defends its nest by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling stomach oil at intruders, which can mat the feathers of predators and cause fatal loss of waterproofing. Fulmars have expanded their breeding range dramatically southward over the past two centuries.