Mandarin Duck vs Red Shoveler
Aix galericulata comparé à Spatula platalea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Mandarin Duck | Red Shoveler |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aix galericulata | Spatula platalea |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 44,0 cm (17.3 in) | — |
| Envergure | 70,0 cm (27.6 in) | 42,0 cm (16.5 in) |
| Poids | 570,0 g (20.11 oz) | 511,6 g (18.05 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … | Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates in shallow water; diet shifts between plant matter and … |
| Taille de la couvée | 7-14 | 5-10 |
| 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.
Red Shoveler
Freshwater and brackish lakes, marshes, and seasonal lagoons in southern South America from Peru and Bolivia south through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.
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.
Red Shoveler
Male emits a low, grunting kuk note; female gives a quiet, rhythmic quacking series. Pairs are generally silent; soft contact calls heard at dusk on South American grassland ponds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Red Shoveler
Breeds in Iceland, Greenland, and Arctic Canada; winters along the coasts of northwestern Europe and the British Isles.
Statut de conservation
Mandarin Duck
Red Shoveler
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
Red Shoveler
Males reddish-cinnamon with dense dark spotting; pale blue-gray head with white eye and dark streaks. Pale blue forewing and green speculum in flight. Broad spatulate bill. Females brown, mottled. South …
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.
Red Shoveler
A medium-sized shoveler with a distinctive spatula-shaped bill. Males are pale orange-brown with dark spots, grey-blue wing patch, and dark green speculum; females are mottled brown. Found across southern South America. Swims with bill tip in water, filtering zooplankton and seeds.