A pair of Mandarin Ducks have been hanging around the small pond close to Monument Drive in Ashridge Forest, near Aldbury Village. Though not exactly tame the pair are fairly tolerant of the hoards of dog walkers, joggers and screaming children that invade the forest every day, and hopefully will breed nearby, despite the noise and disturbance. Mandarins breed in cavities in trees in dense woodland near ponds and streams and soon after the ducklings have hatched the mother flies down to the ground and encourages the young to leap from the nest. When all the ducklings are safely out of the tree they follow their mother to a nearby water body. Incredibly the nest can be as much as a mile from the nearest water. Mandarin Ducks in Britain are all the descendants of escaped or deliberately released birds and the population is now in excess of 7000, exceeding the number of birds in China and Eastern Russia which has declined to only 1000 pairs, mainly due to habitat destruction. Strangely, the Mandarin is of the few duck species that is not hunted for food as apparently the meat tastes terrible.
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male & female - Ashridge Forest
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, female - Ashridge Forest
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest
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