Distinct Korean Mandarin: Pure pink-billed morph

[Hangnamori]

This is a request for images or sightings of any female mandarins showing all-pink/red bills.

Apparently there existed at least formerly a distinct population known only from korea, of Mandarin whereby the females show a solidly colored bill, and also variable feet coloration. Apparently it is mentioned in old literature (but absent from newer editions).

A small captive population survives in Europe (formerly imported from Korea), where it is currrently being bred by aviculturists (see http://www.jongaviornis.org/ ).

By my own observation, winter females in Korea tend to show a pinkish bill base which is rather lacking in summer breeding females: I could be mistaken, it may be a seasonal variation, or this could indicate differences between the different Asian population groups moving through Korea.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this morph, or why it is no longer extant in the wild population? Any comments welcome.

[Hangnamori]

here they are:

Picture A:



Feet are a much brighter yellow than a typical female, which are more brownish;
Flanks feature dull brownish spots: typical female has brighter white spots;
Bill is obviously solid pink. Typical winter female shows only a hint of pink at base of grey bill, in summer females bill is solid grey.

Picture B

[Hangnamori]

It looks like we may have finally found one: photographed on jeju and posted today (20th July)
http://birdsinjeju.com/bbs/data/birdgallery/IMG_0108_0.jpg

Even if the saturation has been turned up a little- that is still a female with a very solid, all- pink bill.....

Contrast that with a typical female (also photographed on jeju:)
http://birdsinjeju.com/bbs/data/birdsinjeju/pittakem_1109856197_01.jpg

Comments?

[Nial Moores]

Dear Hangnamori,

The problem will be to separate out juvenile and early (?) first winter male Mandarin (which are also red-billed) and even eclipse male from female Mandarin with reddish bills.  This will be really hard to do confidently in mid-summer I would think...  The few books that I have that perhaps should shed light on this (such as the Oxford Bird Families of the World and the old Madge and Burns Wildfowl) do not give clear indication of when first winter males acquire a more adult male type plumage.  Further, to my eyes the excellent Collins European Bird Guide depicts the adult female Mandarin with a clearly pink-based bill, and rather yellowish legs. I presume the drawing would have been based on birds in European collections? However, you write you have also seen this pattern on birds here in the ROK.  Bill (as opposed to nail) colour is not noted as a difference from Wood Duck in the same Collins field guide, though the plate shows a Wood Duck female with a grey bill! 

If you are still interested, I photographed two female-type Mandarin on Eocheong in early November, and these grainy images are now posted in the latest bird news: one is grey-billed, the other red-billed.

Best wishes and birding,

Nial Moores
Birds Korea

[Hangnamori]

I have recieved the following opinion from Kim Willems of Jongaviornis, who keeps a captive population of pink-billed Mandarin in Europe.



 
"On this link, the picture left is typical female. The bird on the right is a first winter male. You can see the colours appearing on his chest and the blue miror on his wing is too bright to be a female."
 
http://birdsinjeju.com/bbs/data/birdgallery/IMG_0108_0.jpg
 
"This is a male in eclipse."

[Nial Moores]

Thank you Hangnamori and Kim,

Very much appreciated.

We have also been sent a mail today by Andreas Buccheim (of Mongolian and other gull fame) who also considers it is a male, and adds two more useful criteria. He wrote:

It seems to be a young male (pointed flank-feathers are indicative of juv)
also no additional white streak on wing (which is visible on the female but not on the reddish-billed bird)
this white streak can be seen in females only, males do not have it


We hope perhaps to receive some images of birds in the hand (feral birds from Europe), and to learn more about the timing of moult and maturation of these birds.  Wonderful when there is still so much to learn, to really be able to learn something useful!!

With best wishes.

Nial Moores
Birds Korea

[Hangnamori]

Taking the above ID pointers into consideration, looking at the two posted here (taken Korea, january 2009) would seem to add to the confusion.

http://www.birddb.com/bbs/board_read.php?s_key=map_date&s_word=total|&year_word=&type=&board=b_050015&id=131&b_name=??*Aix*galericulata*Mandarin*Duck

The top individual appears to have the double white wingbar supposedly indicative of females, yet also has the bright blue wing panel indicative of males.

The lower (apparently leucistic) bird  could be a first winter male-yet to attain adult plumage. It shows a pink bill although no pointed flank feathers..