@TinoPup Those are great points and I wouldn't substitute a rare species for Mandarin Ducks. I was approaching this from a different angle. In the U.S. easily half of the zoos have fewer than 40 species of birds and I think that's pitiful. Because of the cold-hardiness of Mandarin Duck, they could be kept in outdoor aviaries most of the year in most of the country and these would be relatively inexpensive to maintain. This is a generally peaceful species that could be kept with other temperate waterfowl, jays, laughingthrushes, pheasants, tragopans, doves, and other species to increase avian representation. Also, the genetic diversity in the captive population should be relatively good because of the large population size.
@Summer Tanager For a place that otherwise wouldn't keep any ducks, yes, it would be a great addition. I just hate seeing them when other species could be used. It's a bit like seeing Indian peafowl in an indoor aviary.
@TinoPup I agree with you completely. Having Indian Blue Peafowl in an aviary is a waste of space and the same could be said of Mandarin Duck if the zoo in question chose Mandarin Ducks over a rare duck species such as Madagascar Teal, Laysan Teal, Baer's Pochard, Marbled Teal, or Falcated Duck. But for a zoo with a meager bird collection and limit budget, a sheltered, well-planted outdoor aviary with Mandarin Duck, Smew, and Temminck's Tragopan would be an interesting and inexpensive exhibit to develop and maintain.
