Mandarin Ducks

[Cheryl]

I always thought of these being ornamental and were just found in zoos/parks/collections etc but today on my walk to Lurgashott Common via Waggoners Wells I saw a pair - I presumed they had escaped from somewhere but have been reading up about them and apparently they are "one of the most spectacular of all British Birds" !!!!!!

It was very nice to see them especially as there wasn't a lot else on the ponds - I counted a pair of Mallards and one Moorhen

[aeshna5]

In some areas of the country there are quite sizeable numbers of these gaudy oriental ducks. In fact after China, the UK probably has the largest population of these. Certainly some good numbers around SW London/Surrey area.

Always a joy to see these ducks.

[RoyW]

Mandarin Ducks were added to category C of the British bird list' in 1971, by which it was decided that the feral birds (from escapes and releases) were able to maintain themselves as a self sufficient population. They currently have the same status as birds like Canada Goose and Ring-necked Parakeet in Category C1 (Naturalized introduced species with no natural populations).

There are now good populations in several areas, and they seem to be increasing.

Roy.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

In some areas of the country there are quite sizeable numbers of these gaudy oriental ducks. In fact after China, the UK probably has the largest population of these. Certainly some good numbers around SW London/Surrey area.

Always a joy to see these ducks.

There are apparently now more in the UK than there are in China.

Cheers,

Adam

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

There are apparently now more in the UK than there are in China.

Although this used to be quoted, I was under the impression that the numbers had been re-evaluated, with the British population thought to represent around a tenth of the world population (probably slightly more now, as the British ones are increasing while the asian ones are declining).
The largest numbers are in Japan, which probably has 50% of the worlds populations.

Roy.

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by RoyW

Mandarin Ducks were added to category C of the British bird list' in 1971, by which it was decided that the feral birds (from escapes and releases) were able to maintain themselves as a self sufficient population. They currently have the same status as birds like Canada Goose and Ring-necked Parakeet in Category C1 (Naturalized introduced species with no natural populations).

There are now good populations in several areas, and they seem to be increasing.

Roy.

Thank you Roy - I didn't know that