Mandarin
Aix galericulata
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Distribution Britain 218 (459%) Ireland 0
Numbers breeding: Britain 7,000 individuals Ireland 0 European status: 5,000 ? (70% in Britain and Ireland =1) British population trend: increasing and expanding How likely are you to record it? 18 squares (0.4%) Ranked 138 |
These pretty tree-hole nesting little ducks have been kept in (and escaped from) collections in Britain for 250 years. Recent expansion and increases have led to an estimate of 7,000 individuals for Britain. This means that the population is about a tenth of the truly wild population in the far East (mainly Japan). Most are in the Home Counties but they are present in several other English areas (Severn, Rutland and Norfolk), a few in Wales and in several places in Scotland (Perth, Borders, Argyll and Highland) and, in the last 10 years, in Co. Down. A further increase in prospect.
Ogilvie, M.A. & RBBP 1999 British Birds: 92, 176-182 & 472-476.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead