Mandarin duck: description, nutrition, bird reproduction
The mandarin duck is known all over the world. This is an incredibly beautiful bird that can be most often found in China. The bird is picky enough, but in order to grow it at home, you still need to follow some rules.
Mandarin duck: description of appearance
This type of ducks has very strong feathers. Thanks to him, they easily rise into the air in an upright position.
On the crown of the drakes, the feathers are longer. Their central part is red, and the tips and base have a purple tint with a green tint. In the area of the beak, feathers are red. On the side of the head and around the eyes, the plumage is light. Also, the drakes have beautiful orange sideburns. They are formed with long feathers that are close together.
The feathers on the sheepskin coat are as bright as those on the head. The back is quite flat. She is charcoal and her tummy is white. The chest is covered with drakes of a purple hue with a slight bluish tint. The part where the neck meets the torso is covered with feathers that form white rings.
The feathers on the wings are fawn or orange. The tail is rather short. It is painted black and white. The tail is slightly lowered.
Weft characteristic:
- the weight of an adult bird ranges from 0.5 to 0.7 kg;
- wing length from 2.1 to 2.45 cm;
- beak in males is pink, in ducks - gray;
- paws of birds are red.
Mandarin duck does not like to dive into a pond. For most of its life, it floats on the surface and only when absolutely necessary does it submerge in water.
As for the ducks, they are less bright. Females have feathers of a more classic color. They are dominated by gray and white shades. On the head there is a crest in the form of a cap. In the area of the beak and eyes, there are light stripes. The neck and lateral part of the head are speckled. The tummy of females is snow-white. The feathers on the tail and wings are gray.
Mandarin duck bird: where it lives and what is interesting
This type of ducks prefers the area of mountain rivers that flow in the taiga. The bird settles in mixed forests. The mandarin duck makes nests in places where people very rarely pass. These may be river channels with fallen trees.
You can also find ducks in East Asia. In Russia, tangerines are found in the Sakhalin and Amur regions. Less commonly in the Khabarovsk Territory. In this region, ducks make nests in tree holes. In the middle, they cover the places with their own fluff.
There are times when mandarin duck nests were created at a height of 5 to 6 m above the ground.
Chicks, at first, fly on underdeveloped wings. This period is the most dangerous for small birds. The female brings them to the reservoir in the morning and evening. They begin to fly fully within 7 weeks after birth.
Clutch of Chinese mandarin duck consists of 8-14 eggs. The shell of each of them has a light brown tint. The first chicks appear on the 28th day. All this time the female is in the nest, and the drake brings her food.
Breeding mandarin ducks at home
To grow these unique birds on your site, you need to create the most favorable conditions for them. It is important to allocate space on the site for aviary, in which there will be a small reservoir. The minimum height of the enclosure should be 200 cm.
Socket sizes:
- height about 52 cm;
- length 40 cm;
- width within 40 cm.
The hole in each house should be 12 * 12 cm.Instead of ground nests, you can make hollows and hang them in a chaotic manner in an aviary at a height of 70 to 80 cm.At home, the female incubates eggs on her own, but there are times when it is required incubator.
Ducklings are not resistant to stressful situations, so they should not be disturbed for a while.
Matchmaking for these ducks begins in early spring. The male chooses a female and tries to attract her attention with his actions. He protrudes the crest and begins to describe circles on the surface of the water. As a rule, several drakes begin to "flirt" to one female at once. But the duck chooses the most colorful and persistent.
What does a mandarin duck eat
In the wild, the mandarin duck feeds on whatever grows in the vicinity. These can be various plants and their grains. In reservoirs, they catch shellfish and prefer fish eggs.
Compared to other representatives of its kind, the mandarin duck does not quack, but only emits a quiet sound resembling a whistle.
At home, ducks are fed as follows:
- Adult birds are given barley, corn, wheat, oats. Chicks are poured with millet.
- The diet should also contain bran, soybean and sunflower meal.
- To strengthen bone tissue, fish and grass meal should be added. It is also necessary to supplement the diet with chalk, crushed shells and gammarus.
- From spring until the onset of cold weather, it is recommended to give the ducks chopped dandelions, lettuce and duckweed. Also mandarin duck loves fresh leaves of plantain.
- In autumn, when the amount of grass on the street decreases, chopped acorns and grated carrots are added to food.
- During molting and during the breeding season, the food of mandarin duck should consist of cereals, bran to which are added minced meat or fish.
- You should also strictly control the amount of raw protein consumed. The total volume should be no more than 19%. If this indicator is exceeded, uric acid diathesis may develop in birds.
Mandarin ducks are very easy to keep. If you adhere to the basic rules, then such birds will become a real decoration of the household.