Vilnius residents were impressed by a new winged couple: local fans were left behind because of the groom from abroad

You rarely see such a colorful bird, so it is not surprising that it quickly attracted the attention of the residents. A male mandarin duck, with its extremely bright feathers, is currently observed with a female Mallard.

Gediminas Petkus, representative of the Lithuanian Ornithological Society and educator of “Get to know the birds together”, says that mandarin ducks live in captivity in East Asia, are common in China, Korea, Japan, and in Lithuania, if they are seen in the wild, they have most likely escaped from parks.

“Because of their exceptional appearance, these ducks were also bred in European estates, parks, where there are ponds. Like pheasants, peacocks and other beautiful birds brought from other lands, mandarin ducks were also brought from East Asia,” he said.

These ducks, like some other birds, escape from captivity. They already form local populations, says the ornithologist.

“They can be seen in more than 10 European countries. Up to 3,000 pairs breed in our neighborhood in Poland, so these are not isolated cases.

Mandarin duck has been registered more than 20 times in different places in Lithuania. “Most of the time, they keep in the kudras, the marshes, the Curonian Lagoon, Palanga, Juodkrante, and they are also observed in Vilnius, Žvēryna micro-district, Neri,” he says.

G. Petkus says that, as is usual in the world of birds, the most beautiful feathers are awarded to males.

In Chinese culture, they are highly prized birds painted on porcelain, believed to bring luck and money. In Chinese weddings, the mandarin duck symbolizes the harmony and togetherness of the couple.

The ornithologist says that usually single individuals of this species are observed, not pairs.

When asked what fate awaits the couple seen by the residents – a male mandarin duck and a female mallard duck – if they can have young, the ornithologist says that he doubts it.

“It happens that male mandarin ducks seduce female mallards, as in this case, but they are unlikely to have offspring,” the interviewer explained.