Rare mandarin duck reappears in Central Park

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The rare mandarin duck native to East Asia put on a show in Central Park on Thursday after lying low for a few days.

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation hasn't been tracking the duck but a source told Fox 5 News that park rangers hadn't seen the bird since Nov. 2 until it reappeared Thursday afternoon.

The duck's return to public visibility in the park delighted dozens of onlookers crowding the edge of a pond to take photos.

The duck regularly moves from one body of water to another, according to Crystal Howard, an assistant parks commissioner.

How the duck first got to Central Park is a mystery. The species Aix galericulata can be found in the wild in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia.

But this one is "likely not of wild origin but [is] pretty," Catherine Hamilton, an avid bird watcher and artist, told Fox5NY.com.

Indeed, mandarin duck populations found in parts of Europe and North America were introduced there.

Central Park on Thursday had temperatures in the 50s.

"While we're happy to have him visit our parks, it's important to remember that at some point it may leave New York for warmer temperatures," Howard said.