Video of a multicolored Mandarin duck goes viral, netizens awestruck
What's the story
If you thought ducks only featured a monochrome color palette, this video of a rare Mandarin duck will burst your bubble. Posted a few days back on Twitter, the video has spread like fire on the social media platform, leaving several wildlife enthusiasts awestruck. Read this "colorful" tale of a male Mandarin duck that has mesmerized netizens around the world.
Color scheme
An explosion of colors on this Mandarin duck
Posted by a Twitterati named 'Science girl' (@gunsnrosesgirl3) on August 19, the video featured a rare Mandarin duck in water. The explosion of colors on its body made it a never-seen-before moment for netizens. The duck's chest was purple, beak was rose pink, and head exhibited a color combination of tan and royal blue. Tints of yellow, white, black, and teal were also visible.
Twitter Post
Check out the video below
A male mandarin duck, this is their magnificent breeding plumage as they do moult into less vibrant colours out of season
— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) August 19, 2022
these ducks are a symbol of love and fidelity in some countries as they are monogamous, life partners pic.twitter.com/kicM8RkyDS
Viral content
The video started making rounds on social media
As soon as the video got posted on Twitter, it started garnering a lot of attention. In fact, it has already accumulated a whooping 3302 retweets, 282 quotes, and 27.3K likes. The comments section is filled with people from around the globe praising the duck's natural beauty. "This is a truly amazing and spectacularly beautiful creature" tweeted a user. Check out more responses.
Twitter Post
Another user said
In all honesty this gotta be the most beautiful bird to me with how colorful it looks🤩
— Lavilyrose Fale✊🏽💯💙‼️ (@lavilyrose) August 19, 2022
Twitter Post
Divine intervention
This cannot be invented by nature or man! Only divine reason!
— Valentín Karámanliev (@ValentnKarmanl2) August 20, 2022
Factsheet
Some facts about Mandarin ducks
Female Mandarin ducks lack the male's colorful look. These ducks are native to China, Korea, Japan, and eastern Russia. Additionally, they are a symbol of love and fidelity as they are known for their monogamous nature. In fact, their figurines are gifted to the newly-weds. Male Mandarin ducks are absent fathers. They leave when the eggs hatch. They look like female Mandarins when molting.
"Natural" content creators
Other bird and animal videos that gave us viral content
In July this year, a video showcasing a pigeon doing continuous backflips went viral. Another video that went viral recently showed a cat giving an epic flying kick to an aggressive dog. While a cat-dog relationship may look antagonistic, a video showing the two animals lovingly reunite left netizens in awe. A video from Odisha featured a myna chanting "Hare Krishna" on Janmashtami.