The male Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) - a perching duck - is very distinctive. It has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and "whiskers". The mandarin duck is an Asian symbol for love and fidelity because the pairs tend to stay together year after year unlike most other species of waterfowl. The female mandarin duck is greyer and has a smaller crest and eye ring as compared to the male. After the chicks hatch, the mother will call to them from the ground, and they will jump to the ground in order to search for food. Don’t worry, the great fall does not seem to hurt the chicks.
