EXOTIC WATERFOWL
THE keeping and breeding of exotic water fowl has long been a popular hobby, especially on large country estates, and extensive collections of exotic ducks, geese and swans are to be found throughout the UK.
Inevitably, a number of these wildfowl escape into the wild and establish local populations of feral non-native birds. The sighting of these can puzzle some observers, more familiar with the usual ducks of their locality such as mallard, mute swan, and tufted duck etc.
The mandarin duck, which originated from China is a very exotic looking bird, and as such is very popular in ornamental collections. The male mandarin duck has a most elaborate, ornate plumage with distinctive long orange feathers on the side of the face, orange “sails” on the back, and pale orange flanks. By comparison, the female is dull with a grey head and white stripe behind the eye, brown back and mottled flanks. Along with other similar species of duck, they are known as perching ducks, so called as they like to perch high in trees beside the water. They nest in tree cavities and have strong claws to help them grip. In the wild, mandarin ducks breed in densely wooded areas near shallow lakes, marshes, or ponds. Since confirmation of breeding in 2000 in Nottinghamshire, mandarin ducks are regular breeders in well-wooded lakes in the Dukeries. However, roaming birds can turn up almost anywhere where there is water, and visit some of the trust’s reserves such as Attenborough and Idle Valley. They are also often seen on the lake at Clumber Park and on the Nottingham Canal alongside Castle Boulevard among the mallards.
Other escaped exotic feral wildfowl occasionally seen in Nottinghamshire and on some of the trust’s reserves are red-crested pochard, Egyptian goose, and ruddy shelduck. The Red-crested pochard is another striking looking duck with the male having an orangebrown head with a red, almost plastic
looking beak and pale flanks. They are diving ducks and can often be seen at Attenborough close to the Nature Centre.
The first confirmed breeding was in 2001 at Lound in north Nottinghamshire and a peak count of 171 were recorded there in October 2013. Breeding is sporadic in the county, and it is thought that the many of the birds seen are from breeding populations outside the county. In 2012 a pair raised five young at Attenborough - the first confirmed breeding away from Lound.
The Egyptian goose is an unusual looking goose which has established feral populations in parts of the UK following escapes from wildfowl collections on estates at Norfolk, which were established in the 19th century.
This pale brown and grey goose has distinctive dark brown eye-patches and contrasting white wing patches in flight. Whilst a relatively rare breeder in Nottinghamshire, it has notably bred at Attenborough Nature Reserve and the nearby Highfields Boating Lake.
Male Ruddy Shelducks are orangebrown with a lighter face and crown. They have a black collar around the neck just above the breast with a black rump and tail with white wings with black flight feathers and black bills and feet.
The female is like the male except lighter in the face and lacking the neck collar. While many of the birds spotted in Nottinghamshire are escapees, some of the recent sightings in Notts may be from wild populations in mainland Europe.