Mandarin Duck

• 18 Feb 2021

Why in News

Recently, Mandarin ducks have been sighted in the Maguri-Motapung beel in Assam’s Tinsukia district after a century.

Key Points

• Scientific Name: Aix galericulata
• Discovery
  
  • Mandarin duck was first identified by Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
• Characteristics:
  
  • It is considered the most beautiful duck in the world.
  • Male mandarins have elaborate plumage (feathers) with orange plumes on their cheeks, orange 'sails' on their back, and pale orange sides; females are dull in comparison, with grey heads, brown backs and white eyestripe.
• Diet:
  
  • These birds may feed on seeds, acorns, small fruit, insects, snails, and small fish.
• Habitat:
  
  • These birds inhabit temperate forests near wetlands including rivers, streams, bogs, marshes, swamps, and freshwater lakes.
  • It is native to East Asia but has established populations in Western Europe and America too.
    
    • It breeds in Russia, Korea, Japan and northeastern parts of China.
• Presence in India:
  
  • The duck rarely visits India as it does not fall in its usual migratory route.
  • It was recorded in 1902 in the Dibru river in the Rongagora area in Tinsukia (Assam).
  • More recently, it was sighted in Manipur’s Loktak Lake in 2013, and in Saatvoini Beel in Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam’s Baksa district in 2014.
• Status on IUCN Red List : Least Concern.
• Maguri-Motapung Beel:
  
  • The Maguri Motapung wetland, an Important Bird Area as declared by the Bombay Natural History Society is located close to the Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Upper Assam.
  • In May 2020, the Beel was adversely affected by a blowout and fire at an Oil India Limited-owned gas well.
    
    • The resulting oil spill killed a number of fish, snakes as well as an endangered Gangetic dolphin.

Source: IE