A rare duck, named after Chinese noblemen, spotted in Minsk

The name of this exotic duck is not related to the orange fruit, but to the image of Chinese noblemen - mandarins. The bright, colorful plumage of the males of this bird resembles the luxurious attire of officials in imperial China, writes Onliner.by.

— The bird seemed timid to me, no other ducks were nearby. My daughter said she saw a mandarin duck in the park yesterday, but I haven't encountered it in our area, although I constantly walk here, — notes Volha.

The natural habitat of the mandarin duck is East Asia. How do these ducks end up in Belarus? In Belarus, the mandarin duck is a rare vagrant species.

— Mandarin ducks are very bright and beautiful birds, so people often keep them in zoos and private farms, which has led to these ducks spreading far beyond their natural habitat in the Far East. Over time, some of the birds began to escape, and in Europe, stable wild populations formed from such individuals, successfully reproducing in nature and gradually spreading, — says ornithologist and head of the Kryly.by project, Syamyon Levy.

Thus, mandarin ducks can appear in Belarus for two main reasons: either they are birds that have escaped from private collections — such, for example, are regularly observed on the Berezina river in the Borisov area. Or they are feral individuals from European populations.

Owners of ornamental birds often band their pets; this feature can indicate whether the mandarin duck was once domesticated. And also by the bird's behavior. If it lived near humans, it behaves more trustingly.

Judging by Volha's accounts, the mandarin duck on the Svislach is likely from a feral population. But even if it's not, nothing bad should happen.

Павялічыць

— All ducks have an instinct to find food independently from birth. The mandarin duck is no exception: once in the wild, it starts catching insects and finding food for itself. Many ornithologists, however, believe that our winters are too harsh for these birds. And they can only survive them if they fly to a warmer region.

Ducks orient themselves by living conditions: if there is no food in the pond or it freezes, they may change their location. Waterfowl can only be fed in winter. And even then, very carefully and never with bread. In general, there is enough food for ducks now, and it's better not to disturb them unnecessarily, but simply come and admire the mandarin ducks from a distance, — adds Syamyon Levy.

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