A rare and spectacular bird popularly known as the Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) was spotted floating in the Maguri-Motapung beel (or wetland) of Assam’s Tinsukia district for the first time in 119 years. It was spotted by a team of avian specialists from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and birding volunteers. According to them, the last time the bird was seen in this part of Assam was all the way back in 1902.
The Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), often described as ‘the most beautiful duck in the world’, was first discovered and logged by Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. According to the eBird website, which provides details descriptions of birds from around the world, the duck is native to East Asia. The males are described as “very ornate with big orangey ‘sail fins’ on the back, streaked organgey cheeks and a small red bill with a whitish tip.” In comparison, the females are more dull, sporting grey heads, brown backs and white eyestripe. The bird spotted in Assam is believed to be a male. These ducks are believed to extremely agile fliers, able to drift and manoeuvre through trees with great proficiency. They often take up perches in trees with the female seeks out a hole or cavity in a tree trunk in which to lay eggs. Once her eggs hatch, the ducklings are coaxed by the female to escape the nest and jump to the ground. When they do so, the male returns to protect them with the mother guiding them directly to water.
Experts are unclear exactly how or why the bird spotted in Assam made its way to the National Park. They have noted that India does not make up part of the duck’s usual migratory route and have therefore hypothesised that it may have lost its way. It is also worth noting though, that despite its rarity, the duck is not considered an endangered species.
