Animal of the Day: Mandarin Duck!

The Mandarin duck is closely related to the American Wood duck.

The male is quite a flashy fellow and the female religiously follows, "modest is hottest".

These ducks can be found naturally in Russia, Japan and China. They have been introduced in one way or another to Britain, Ireland, various other European countries, North Carolina, and California.

Papa ducks guard the mama and egg ducks. The eggs are laid in a tree hollow and the mama coaxes the ducklings out of the tree once they have hatched; she then leads them to a marsh or swamp or body of water of some time.

Mandarin ducks eat seeds, acorns, small fish, snails, insects, plants, and grains. Minks, otters, polecats, raccoon dogs, Eurasian eagle owls, and grass snakes prey on the Mandarin duck.

The Chinese traditionally look at Mandarin ducks as signs of  affection and fidelity for they believed that, unlike other ducks, Mandarin ducks were life long mates.

Mission Oh Canada!: http://exhilerationwhenleaping.blogspot.com/2013/09/oh-canada.html