Peculiar bird

It is a Mandarin Duck. Very beautiful.

I have not seen many, but have been lucky enough to see a few over the years at a nearby duck pond.

Do they live naturally? I wonder if this is not a "fugitive" from someone´s hacienda, lol :)

I am not sure about where you live, but in Britain we have them as "natural".

I live in central Europe, close to Vienna and the Danube river. So far I saw this type of duck only in ZOO, I think.

He's lovely!

Isn´t he, Gattina? What a beautiful surprise. He really has amazing colouring :)

He's beautiful! But I thought all ducks had webbed feet???

Don´t know what is webbed feet, but this is drake - I learned just now the new word :)

Zooming in on it, it has got webbed feet but it's a sort of clear membrane

I see, well, that´s how they were born, no? Lol.

We have Coots amd Moorhens on the pond, I suppose they are 'waterhens' rather than ducks, they don't have webbed feet but by comparison to a chicken their feet are huge

OK. I am not expert on birds´s feet, lol.

I've seen those ducks aswell. They're very colourful :o)

He is just BEAUTIFUL. So many colours! Like tropical bird, lol.

He's lovely Katarina, doesn't look 'real' does he, lucky you, nearest we get to such lovely colours is the pheasant :-))

We get loads of ducks here kat but never seen one of those before its great.

Mm! A lovely Mandarin duck! When my daughters were small we used to spend many a school holiday in London, particularly St James Park where there are many varied ducks and geese. We consider ourselves 'experts' now ;o)

I was in St James park twice, I liked it very much, too. I had there fish and chips and long long long walks :)

I once worked near there, Katerina, and used to get my 'exercise fix' by walking completely round the lake every lunchtime - rain or shine! One of the few places in London I actually miss!

My OH went down on one knee in the mud of St James Park to propose to me. Ruined his trousers!

Is he an actor :))))))

No, just a romantic softie - aren't I lucky?

Because romantic guys are as rare, as Mandarin ducks, then you are lucky :)

Wish I'd seen that, Gattina! Mine's a romantic softie too - never ceases to surprise me with little gestures.

Aaaaahhhh! These rugger players, Nariz - it's not all hard exterior, then!

No - they're all like Creme Eggs inside!

Yeah - messy!

So right! LOL!