Have you ever looked at a sunset or a waterfall and fell in awe of the beauty? For instance, if the scene was a painting, you wouldn’t have believed such a stunning thing really exists. After all, nature is truly the best artist and that is definitely true when it comes to Mandarin ducks. You’ve seen the bright colors of a peacock, but these ducks are so bright and colorful, it’s hard to believe they actually exist. Fortunately, they are real, and your eyes are about to be blessed with these photos of them.
“Hot Duck” Mania
If you want to see these ducks in the flesh, look no farther than New York City. That’s right; one of these birds appeared at the Central Park pond in New York City on October 10, 2018. Since then bird watchers and curious folks crowded the park, hoping to see it. Unfortunately, the spottings of the ducks were inconsistent. In fact, when he disappeared for a spell, panic struck all of the duck fans.
Fortunately, not all panicked. “I don’t think anything nefarious happened,” said David Barrett, the creator and manager of the Twitter account Manhattan Bird Alert. “Ducks are ducks. They like to fly — they like to move around to find an environment they like better, to find some food it prefers. And we don’t think someone would have taken it, because it can be very hard to do that. They’re not easy to catch.” [1]
Read: Mother Goose Takes Care Of 47 Goslings And Keep Them All Safe
The Duck’s Return
Everyone was relieved when the Mandarin duck returned. However, the real mystery is how the bird arrived in New York, since Mandarin ducks originate from Asia. There’s also a large population of them in Britain. People speculate it was released or escaped a zoo or private owner. [2]
“Who knows?” Amato said. “Somebody might have released it on purpose, knowing it would be this big thing. There’s a million and one stories, but we don’t know the truth.”
Whether the duck is an escapee or not, it’s clear he’s not from around here — and maybe that’s the point. “He’s an immigrant,” said a Manhatten resident. “None of us knows where he came from. That’s New York.” [3]
However, the zoo origin story became ruled out by the Wildlife Conservation Society who runs the four main zoos in New York. Still, park officials keep a close eye on the duck, and they will only intervene if he requires medical care. But the duck is happy and healthy in the meantime, and perhaps he will make New York his home.
“As long as it has open water, it will do just fine,” Barrett said. “He might live very happily on the Central Park Pond.” [4]
Another Mandarin duck appeared in Vancouver, Canada, but with less online mania. “The Burnaby Lake community has been very Canadian-like as we are with any unfeathered celebrity and not bothered him too much by keeping a respectful distance,” said Burnaby Lake Park Association’s Twitter account.
Read: The Glistening-Green Tanager Is So Bright It Looks Like It Could Glow In The Dark
Facts About Mandarin Ducks
Mandarin ducks are attracted to bodies of water surrounded by forests. They especially prefer wooded ponds and rocky streams. There, they hunt for snails, insects, and small fish, while they also eat seeds, nuts, aquatic plants, and acorns. They are migratory, living in Siberia, northeastern China, Japan, and South Korea. Additionally, they were successfully introduced into southern England. Of course, there are zoo and private owner escapees throughout North America and Europe.
Mandarin ducks are symbols of love due to the myth that they mate for life. Ironically, this is not the case at all. Plus, male ducks leave their families after the ducklings hatch. Nevertheless, they remain symbols of love, fidelity, and fertility in some cultures.
The male ducks are the ones with all the colors and fanfare. The females tend not to quack and they sport grey and brown feathers. Interestingly, the males molt and shed their colors in the summer. Their species could still be identified by their brightly colored beak.
Unfortunately, Mandarin duck populations in their native regions have declined due to over-hunting and habitat destruction — primarily from logging. Most of their numbers reside in Japan; also, they also reproduce in captivity. [4]
Keep Reading: ‘Super Mom’ Spotted on a Minnesota Lake — With 56 Ducklings in Tow
Sources
- “New Yorkers feeling ‘crushed’ after Central Park’s beloved Mandarin duck goes missing.” The Washington Post. Meagan Flynn. November 8, 2018
- “Mandarin mania: how a ‘hot duck’ enraptured New York City.” The Guardian. Amanda Holpuch. November 8, 2018
- “New York is charmed by a stunning Mandarin duck that mysteriously ended up in Central Park.” Los Angeles Times. Sonja Sharp. December 2, 2018
- “A Mandarin Duck Mysteriously Appears in Central Park, to Birders’ Delight.” New York Times. Julia Jacobs. October 31, 2018
- “Mandarin Duck.” Toronto Zoo.
