Page 411 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Family Anatidae Species Aix galericulata Family Anatidae Species Aix sponsa
Mandarin Wood Duck

Suitably exotic-looking for a duck of Southeast Asian Rather like the Mandarin, the Wood Duck has
origin, the Mandarin has been introduced into south escaped into the wild but is far less well-established.
Great Britain. Drakes have bushy orange “whiskers” Males have a long, dark, drooped crest, bold white face
and triangular orange “sails” on the back, and a black marks, and a white band between the dark chest and
chest; females are dark grey-brown, mottled paler on orange flanks; females look like female Mandarins but
the sides, with fine white “spectacles”.They often with a dark-tipped (not pale-tipped) bill and shorter
perch in trees near freshwater lakes and rivers. and broader “spectacles”.
OCCURRENCE Locally in Great Britain, around OCCURRENCE Very rare in Iceland, from North
wood-fringed lakes and slow rivers. America; scattered escapees in UK.
VOICE Short, rising whistling note. VOICE Mostly silent.
white on
bushy head dark, drooping
orange crest
orange
“sails” whiskers
MALE pale orange flanks
MALE

Length 41–49cm (16–19 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 65–75cm (26–30in) Length 43–51cm (17–20in) Wingspan 68–78cm (27–31in)

Family Anatidae Species Anas rubripes Family Anatidae Species Anas americana
Black Duck American Wigeon
Clearly related to the Mallard (see p.101), the Black Bearing an obvious resemblance to the European
Duck is like a plainer, darker female Mallard with a Wigeon (see p.105), the male American Wigeon is
contrasted pale head, blue hindwing patches lacking moderately easy to identify by the white forehead
the white edges shown by a Mallard, and a bold white and broad dark green band across a pale, speckled
underwing that is viewed when flying or flapping its face and a dusky pinkish body. Females, however, are
wings.The bill is greenish yellow and the legs rich very difficult, but a contrasted greyer head and dark
orange.Various farmyard Mallard derivatives may eye patch sometimes help in identification; white
look superficially similar. “wingpits” are diagnostic if seen clearly.
pale
OCCURRENCE Rare vagrant bill OCCURRENCE Regular but rare visitor from North
from North America in America to W Europe, in autumn/winter.
NW Europe. VOICE Drake has Wigeon-like whistle.
VOICE Mallard-like quacks.
dark eye patch
dusky pinkish
plain dark MALE
wings body

dark overall
ADULT

Length 53–61cm (21–24in) Wingspan 80–90cm (32–35in) Length 48–56cm (19–22in) Wingspan 75–85cm (30–34in)
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