Page 46 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

М (Aix galericulata)

Mandarin duck

The average weight is in the range of 0.4–0.7 kg. The average wing length is approximately
21-24.5 cm. Of particular interest is the very bright breeding attire of males, as well as the
presence of a well-colored crest on the head.
The basis of nutrition is often the seeds of all kinds of plants, acorns, mollusks, fish roe and
various small river inhabitants, as well as worms.
The nesting part of the range covers the territory from the river basin. Amur to the south to
the share of the lower reaches of the river Yangtze, Japanese Islands and Korea Peninsula. In
the Far East, breeds in the Amur Region, the southern part of the Khabarovsk Territory, the
Primorsky Territory, and the southern Sakhalin. Winters on the Japanese Islands, in the eastern
and southern parts of China, on the Korea Peninsula. Occasionally winters in non-freezing
areas of rivers in the south of Sakhalin Island and Kunashir Island.
On the territory of the Sakhalin Region, birds nest both in the southern and central regions
of Sakhalin Island and in the north of the island. Mandarin ducklings were recorded on the
Krilyon Peninsula, in the basins of the Susuya, Lesnaya, Nadezhdinka, Belinka and
Krasnogorka, Nitui, Lyutoga, Tym rivers. During the nesting period, birds were also observed
near the village. Novoaleksandrovsk and Krasnogorsk, on the river Burrow and its tributaries,
in the env. Aleksan-Drovsk-Sakhalinsky. The northernmost meeting places of the mandarin
duck along the western coast is the river valley Viakhtu, on the east - Piltun Bay, in addition,
there is information about the breeding of this species on the Schmidt Peninsula.

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