Mandarin Duck's (Some Thoughts On,)

[MHW <pooder at xmission dot com>]

I have seen Mandarin Ducks (yes, I'm 100% sure they were not Wood Ducks) 
over the years in the Holladay area of Salt Lake County, in ponds along 
the Big Cottonwood Creek drainage.  I know they nested a few times too 
over the years, as I saw the adults and brood of chicks.  The time frame 
was during the later 1970's and 80's, so it was a while ago.  That is 
just to say that it is not out of the question that Mandarin Ducks might 
now be nesting here along the Wasatch Front.  I can vouch for the fact 
that they have in the past. 

Now, some good questions seem to me to be, did they fly in on their own, 
or did they escape from somewhere (Tracy Aviary, or another private 
collection...)?  Have they taken up residency, or are they migrating in 
and out seasonally?  Time and good observations will help us determine 
what they are doing, as will working with those living in neighboring 
states and regions.  That is partly what BirdTalk, et al., is all about.

It also seems to me that if they are living in the wild, and especially 
if they winter over or migrate in and out, then they are "countable" as 
a bird species living in the wild in Utah.  Another question of "are 
they native to Utah" is valid too, and the answer to that would 
certainly seem to be no, they are not native, as they more than likely 
were introduced or "escaped."  We count Starlings which were introduced 
and they are certainly considered undesirable by many.  Such reasoning 
suggests to me that yes, Mandarin Ducks are countable, and if they have 
established residency or are regular seasonal visitors, then they ought 
to be added to the "list."

Where does one draw the line?  Well, one person's fine evening sipping 
wine is another's trashy White Zinfandel in a box, and yet another 
person's juice of sin.  One's point-of-view can color the same picture 
differently for different people.

Happy Birding.

Matthew.


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