More Ducks
IMG_0061
Coach wash pond, Saltram House, Plymouth, GBR.
Mandarin (Aix galericulata), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
The drake Mandarin Duck is vividly coloured, while the female is modestly attired in grey and brown. A shy species inhabiting river valleys and small, vegetated waterbodies, these ducks nest in tree cavities or nest boxes. Up to twelve ducklings leap from the nest before they are able to fly, following the female to nearby water. Originally from Asia, the Mandarin Duck became naturalised in the UK during the 20th century and now occurs widely across England and parts of Scotland and Wales. The Wetland Bird Survey notes a rising UK population. Outside the breeding season, Mandarins form flocks near breeding sites, though ringing studies have recorded occasional long-distance movements.
The Moorhen is a common bird found across lowland England, Wales, Ireland, and south-east Scotland, including urban parks with water bodies. Resident throughout the year, the native population is supplemented in winter by migrants from the Continent. Skilled swimmers, Moorhens also forage along grassy banks, frequently flicking their white undertail as a signal. Their courtship and territorial behaviour are well documented, particularly around University towns where they are abundant.
Ornithology, British Trust for. ‘Mandarin Duck’. BTO - British Trust for Ornithology, 7 April 2015. www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/mandarin-duck.
Ornithology, British Trust for. ‘Moorhen’. BTO - British Trust for Ornithology, 7 April 2015. www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/moorhen.
More Ducks
IMG_0061
Coach wash pond, Saltram House, Plymouth, GBR.
Mandarin (Aix galericulata), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
The drake Mandarin Duck is vividly coloured, while the female is modestly attired in grey and brown. A shy species inhabiting river valleys and small, vegetated waterbodies, these ducks nest in tree cavities or nest boxes. Up to twelve ducklings leap from the nest before they are able to fly, following the female to nearby water. Originally from Asia, the Mandarin Duck became naturalised in the UK during the 20th century and now occurs widely across England and parts of Scotland and Wales. The Wetland Bird Survey notes a rising UK population. Outside the breeding season, Mandarins form flocks near breeding sites, though ringing studies have recorded occasional long-distance movements.
The Moorhen is a common bird found across lowland England, Wales, Ireland, and south-east Scotland, including urban parks with water bodies. Resident throughout the year, the native population is supplemented in winter by migrants from the Continent. Skilled swimmers, Moorhens also forage along grassy banks, frequently flicking their white undertail as a signal. Their courtship and territorial behaviour are well documented, particularly around University towns where they are abundant.
Ornithology, British Trust for. ‘Mandarin Duck’. BTO - British Trust for Ornithology, 7 April 2015. www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/mandarin-duck.
Ornithology, British Trust for. ‘Moorhen’. BTO - British Trust for Ornithology, 7 April 2015. www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/moorhen.