Despite being non-native, these stunningly beautiful birds are commonly encountered and can cause confusion. 

Mandarins are frequent and breed in the wild in the UK, with a well-established population. Wood Ducks are commonly kept in collections and although less often encountered, escapes can occasionally be found. Breeding Wood Duck have occurred although the species is probably not established. 

Male birds, with their striking and distinctive plumage, are easy to identify, but the females are confusingly similar. Our identification workshop will help you tell Mandarin and Wood Duck apart.