Mandarin Duck (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

Review and images by Takama; additional text by Jetoar and bmathison1972

Mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata) are my favorite ducks. So I am glad Safari Ltd. made one for their Wings of the World collection in 2008.

Mandarin ducks are native to East Asia and Japan, with feral populations established in Great Britain, Germany, and in North Carolina and California in the U.S. Like many other species of ducks, the male undergoes a molt after the mating season into eclipse plumage. When in eclipse plumage, the male looks similar to the female, but can be told apart by their bright yellow-orange beak, lack of any crest, and a less-pronounced eye-stripe

Total length is 60 mm. It is beautifully painted, and the purple has a shine to it. Surprisingly, this species is not common in toy form, with others made by Bullyland, Nayab, Papo, and, of course, Kaiyodo.