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What the sources say

Mandarin DuckAix galericulata

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Mandarin Duck profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 36 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Aix galericulata (Mandarin duck). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysWooded ponds and fast, rocky streams in forests from eastern Siberia to China and Japan
The source saysThe Mandarin duck breeds in eastern Siberia, China, and Japan ... The Mandarin lives in the forests of China and Japan. They prefer wooded ponds and fast flowing rocky streams to swim, wade, and feed in.Note: stats.habitat
The page saystree-hole nests up to nine meters high
The source saysNest are alway in a hole in a tree and can be up to thirty feet from the ground.Note: stats.superpower, second half; 9 meters converted from 30 feet
The page saysA mandarin duck weighs between 428 and 693 grams
The source saysRange mass 428 to 693 g 15.08 to 24.42 oz
The page saysIn full plumage the male carries a pair of sail feathers raised upright above its back, a crest of orange and cream feathers and a broad white eye-stripe
The source saysIn full plumage, the male has a pair of "sail" feathers that are raised vertically above the back, a crest of orange and cream feathers, and a broad white eye-stripe that is bounded above and below by darker feathers.
The page saysThe female is duller: an overall grey, with a curving white stripe behind the eye and a scatter of white blotches on her underside
The source saysThe female is duller in color and has an overall grey appearance marked by a curving white stripe behind the eye and a series of white blotches on the underparts.
The page saysIn China and Japan, the bird serves as a symbol of happiness and marital fidelity
The source saysThe Mandarin is held in high esteem by the Japanese and the Chinese. In these countries, they serve as a symbol of happiness and marital fidelity.
The page saysMandarin ducks always nest in tree holes, up to nine meters (thirty feet) high
The source saysNest are alway in a hole in a tree and can be up to thirty feet from the ground.Note: 9 meters, converted from 30 ft; "alway" is the source's own typo for "always"
The page saysThe female lines the hole with down and lays nine to twelve white eggs, one a day, then incubates them alone for 28 to 30 days
The source saysIn preparation for egg laying, the female lines the nest is with down. Clutch sizes range from nine to twelve white oval eggs that are laid at daily intervals. Incubation is solely performed by the female and last between 28 and 30 days.
The page saysThe eggs hatch within a few hours of each other. Once they all have, the mother calls from the ground below, and one by one the ducklings clamber out and drop. Every one of them lands unhurt, and the family sets off for the nearest feeding ground.
The source saysWhen all the eggs are hatched (they hatch within a few hours of each other), the mother calls to the chicks from the ground. Each chick then crawls out of the hole and launches itself into a free fall. Amazingly, all the chicks land unhurt and are en route to the nearest feeding ground.
The page saysOnce they can fly, after 40 to 45 days, the ducklings leave to join a new flock
The source saysOnce the chicks are able to fly (after 40-45 days), they leave to join a new flock.
The page saysWild mandarin ducks breed across eastern Siberia, China, and Japan, nesting beside wooded ponds and fast, rocky forest streams, and winter in southern China and Japan
The source saysThe Mandarin duck breeds in eastern Siberia, China, and Japan and winters in southern China and Japan. ... The Mandarin lives in the forests of China and Japan. They prefer wooded ponds and fast flowing rocky streams to swim, wade, and feed in.
The page saysA population living wild in Britain descends from released captive-bred ducks
The source saysThere is a small free-flying population in Britain stemming from the release captive bred ducks.Note: ADW's 'small' dropped: BTO's current page gives 4,400 UK pairs (2007-11) and a 663% rise since 1995
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web names their bad taste as one factor that has helped the species survive: mandarin ducks are not hunted for food
The source saysOne factor that has helped the Mandarin to survive is their bad taste. These ducks are not hunted for food.Note: FAQ 2

Source
02

BTO BirdFacts

Mandarin Duck. BTO BirdFacts.

The page saysThe oldest ringed bird on Britain's records lived 10 years, 4 months and 25 days
The source saysMaximum age from a ringed bird 10 years, 4 months, 25 days (set in 1999)
The page saysabout 4,400 breeding pairs and 14,000 birds in winter, both estimates for 2007 to 2011
The source saysUK (breeding) 4400 pairs (2007-11) Source UK (winter) 14 thousand (2007-11)Note: FAQ 1; '14 thousand' in the source is 14,000; '2007 to 2011' is the source's '(2007-11)'
The page saysLive adults measured in Britain have wings about 23.5 centimeters long
The source saysWing length and body weights are from live birds ( source ). Wing length Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets. Juvenile 226.4±10.3 mm (212-237 mm, N=25) All adults 234.9±8.3 mm (223-249 mm, N=230)Note: size; 234.9 mm mean = 23.5 cm; BTO biometrics are British ringing data
The page saysweightKg: 0.62
The source saysAll adults 616±64.9 g (500-700 g, N=188)Note: settle #889

Source
03

Tang et al. 2025

Tang et al. (2025). Sexually dimorphic sail feathers in the Mandarin duck as a model for lifelong developmental modulation. Scientific Reports.

The page saysThe tree-hole nesting duck whose drake grows an enlarged, brightly colored sail feather every breeding season
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season. It returns to a more symmetric feather with a muted pigmentation pattern outside of the mating season.Note: tagline
The page saysAn ordinary flight feather that regrows into a showy sail every breeding season, and tree-hole nests up to nine meters high
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season.Note: stats.superpower, first half
The page saysEach sail is remex 12, a secondary flight feather on each wing
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season.
The page saysThe sails play an important role in attracting a female
The source saysMale sail feathers play an important role in attracting a female mate
The page saysThe same feather follicle stem cells on the drake's wing grow an enlarged, asymmetric, brightly colored sail for the mating season, then a more symmetric, muted feather outside it
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season. It returns to a more symmetric feather with a muted pigmentation pattern outside of the mating season. ... Hence, feather follicle stem cells can form different feather phenotypes (form and color) that are modulated by sexual, seasonal and regional cues.Note: blockquote
The page saysResearchers who sampled mandarin ducks' blood every month for 42 months
The source saysblood samples were acquired monthly from hens and drakes. Serum estradiol (Fig. 4 a) and testosterone (Fig. 4 b) levels were charted over 42-month periodNote: FAQ 3; 'every month' paraphrases 'monthly'
The page saysandrogens and estrogens peak before the breeding season, and that estrogen peaks before each feather molt. They suggest those hormones may shape the sail
The source saysSystemic levels of androgens and estrogens peak before the breeding season, potentially influencing morphological and pigmentation features in specific regions of male and female birds.Note: FAQ 3; 'may shape' matches 'potentially influencing'
The page saysestrogen peaks before each feather molt
The source sayscirculating sex hormone levels were monitored over 42 months, highlighting seasonal estrogen peaks before feather moltsNote: FAQ 3
The page saysOn females, and at the male's neighboring remex 11, that feather stays small and muted all year
The source saysFemale feathers at remex 12 and male feathers at remex 11 maintain a small size with muted pigmentation throughout the year.Note: 'all year' paraphrases 'throughout the year'
The page saysNobody has proved what does
The source saysAlthough further investigation is needed to establish causal relationshipsNote: FAQ 3
The page saysbut say further work is needed to show cause and effect
The source saysAlthough further investigation is needed to establish causal relationshipsNote: FAQ 3
The page saysOne Feather, Two Shapes
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season. It returns to a more symmetric feather with a muted pigmentation pattern outside of the mating season.Note: blockquote lead: remex 12's two forms, breeding sail and non-breeding feather
The page saysone flight feather on each side of the male regrows into an enlarged, brightly colored sail
The source saysRemex 12, a secondary flight feather on each side of male Mandarin ducks, becomes an enlarged, asymmetric and brightly colored sail feather during mating season.Note: settle #889 (vibe.reason)
The page sayshelps him attract a mate
The source saysMale sail feathers play an important role in attracting a female mateNote: settle #889 (vibe.reason)

Source
04

Munday & Rose 2022

Munday & Rose (2022). Environmental and Social Influences on the Behaviour of Free-Living Mandarin Ducks in Richmond Park. Animals.

The page saysAquatic plants and seeds, with more invertebrates eaten as the spring breeding season approaches
The source saysAlthough Mandarins primarily feed on aquatic plants and a variety of seeds, in the spring it also feeds on aquatic invertebrates [ 24 ] as ducks attaining breeding condition require more protein [ 20 , 25 , 26 ].Note: stats.diet
The page saysTheir usual diet is aquatic plants and a variety of seeds, but in spring they eat more invertebrates, as ducks getting into breeding condition need the extra protein
The source saysAlthough Mandarins primarily feed on aquatic plants and a variety of seeds, in the spring it also feeds on aquatic invertebrates [ 24 ] as ducks attaining breeding condition require more protein [ 20 , 25 , 26 ].
The page saystags: omnivore
The source saysAlthough Mandarins primarily feed on aquatic plants and a variety of seeds, in the spring it also feeds on aquatic invertebratesNote: settle #889; replaces herbivore

Source
05

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018

Aix galericulata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22680107A131911544.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). Aix galericulata (Linnaeus, 1758), IUCN taxon 22680107.Note: stats.conservationStatus; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List (iucnredlist.org refuses scripts), taxon id matches the assessment DOI
The page saysWorldwide, the IUCN lists the mandarin duck as Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). Aix galericulata (Linnaeus, 1758), IUCN taxon 22680107.Note: category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List; iucnredlist.org refuses scripts

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.