Red duck

Red duck or Ogar (Tadorna ferruginea) is a waterfowl from the duck family. It's related to pie. The red duck is quite large, the length of the wing in males is 35.5-39.5 cm, the beak is less than five centimeters. Weight of a bird - from 1,2 to 1,5 kg. Females differ somewhat in smaller sizes. The color of the plumage is orange-brown, the wings are white, the feathers are black.

The red duck swims well, however, in flight it looks somewhat difficult. In summer, during the nesting period, the males appear on the neck a dark ring.

As a rule, red ducks live in small groups or in pairs. In rare cases, form a large flock. However, during moulting or during wintering, they can gather in large groups on slow rivers or lakes.

Red duck in captivity, as a rule, is aggressive and unsociable. Keep such birds better in pairs or in a large area. Red ducks can be kept with other members of the duck family, but in any case they can show aggression during nesting.

Buddhists of Tibet and Mongolia Ogarok is considered a sacred bird. In Slavic mythology, she was also revered.

As a rule, Red ducks are combined into pairs for several years. Marriage games occur in the spring. In this case, the female chooses the male herself. The feminine attire of the female is characterized by the presence of almost white feathers on both sides of the head.

It should be noted that seasonal change of color of plumage in both species is almost not expressed. Only some details of the outfit of the males become somewhat tarnished. Young growth is similar in appearance to an adult female, while it looks more faded against its background.

Bird nests are very diverse. They dig holes in clay cliffs, in some cases more than four meters in length. In addition, the ducks nest in foxes, badger burrows. Sometimes their nests were found in abandoned buildings, sheds.

In August moulting of adults begins, when the young will reach independence. Like the other ducks, the Cinderella has two molts: premarital and complete.

Red ducks hibernate in Syria, Iraq, Arabia, southern China, India. On the territory of Russia in the cold season they can be found in Turkmenistan, in Transcaucasia.

They feed on Red Ducks with plant and animal feed. In this case, when the birds eat insects, crustaceans, various small animals, the meat has an unpleasant smell. However, since the autumn, when individuals switch to vegetable feed (grain and green winter shoots), meat of excellent quality.

Another variegated representative is the Mandarinka bird. It is distributed only in the territory of East Asia. In Russia, Mandarinka ducks are found on Sakhalin, in the Amur Region, Primorye, Khabarovsk Territory. They hibernate in Japan and China.

Mandarin - a small bird. Its mass is from four hundred to seven hundred grams. In the mating season, the male is very difficult to confuse with some other bird of the duck family.

The duck is distributed on forested mountain rivers, with tree branches hanging in the water. It can be found in the riverine mountain forests. The bird swims well enough, while it sits on the water high, raising its tail somewhat. Diving Mandarin rarely, only if injured. The flight of a bird is maneuverable and fast, it takes off very easily, sometimes even almost straight up. Mandarin, unlike most other ducks, often sits on coastal rocks or tree branches.

Hunting for this bird is prohibited. Mandarinka is included in the Red Book. In parks it is bred as decorative. Reduction of the population is facilitated by hunting. The matter is that this bird in the winter wears other plumage, and hunters often take it for a representative of another species.

It feeds on Mandarinka water plants, acorns, worms, fish caviar and shellfish.