These ducks are often featured in artwork as symbols of fidelity and affection. In Korea, carved Mandarin ducks are sometimes given as wedding gifts. A Chinese proverb refers to a loving couple as “two Mandarin ducks playing in the water.”
Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Life span3-12 years
Body sizearound 16-19 in. long
Native habitat
Forests and wetlands of East Asia
DietWater plants and grains, insects, small fish, worms, snails