Dazzling mandarin ducks draw crowds to Sutton Park as sightings rise fivefold in a decade

They look so colourful that some people online have mistaken them for AI images, but the mandarin ducks drawing crowds to Sutton Park are very real, and wildlife experts say this autumn is the perfect time to see them.

A resident population has settled on Keeper's Pool in the park, and sightings across Birmingham and the surrounding area are rising fast, BBC News reported.

"They look like a painting"

Birmingham photographer Jamil El Farsi first saw the ducks at The Leasowes in Halesowen before returning to Sutton Park in October with his wife and children.

"They don't look real, they look like a painting," he said. "That's how vibrant they are, the colours." He once waited about two hours for a single bird to perch on a log so he could photograph it out of the water.

When the family arrived at Sutton Park, his younger children were delighted. "As soon as they saw them, they were jumping around: 'Oh, they're still here, they're still here, dad'," he said. "People were coming from everywhere, Wolverhampton [and] all around the Midlands."

Five times as common as a decade ago

Mandarin ducks are native to East Asia and were introduced to England from China in the early 20th century. The British population is thought to have grown from birds that escaped from collections about a century ago, and they have since become naturalised. The Canal and River Trust describes them as non-invasive, posing no threat to native species.

The Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust says breeding numbers in England rose by 663% between 1995 and 2024, with between 4,400 and 7,000 breeding pairs now thought to live in the UK.

Nathan Cope, founder of BirdFact, said: "Around Birmingham, they now turn up about five times as often in birdwatchers' records as they did 10 years ago, even though the number of people recording birds has stayed about the same."

Where and when to see them

As well as Sutton Park, the wildlife trust says there has been a long-term resident at Perry Hall Park, with sightings at Sandwell Valley, Red House Park Pool and Fens Pools.

Autumn is the best time to look, because the males have regained the dramatic plumage they lose during their summer moult. James Benwell, from the wildlife trust, called them the "world's most beautiful duck".

"The males are truly exotic looking, with bright colours and their distinctive sail feathers. The females are far less showy," he said. "There are around 15 males present, as well as more females, so they really are a wonderful sight to behold and it's well worth making a trip to see them."

Watching responsibly

Mandarins are shy birds that like quiet spots and often hide under overhanging willows, and they nest in holes in old trees. Visitors hoping for a glimpse should keep their distance, keep dogs on leads near the water, and resist feeding bread, which is bad for waterbirds. A pair of binoculars and a little patience on the banks of Keeper's Pool is the best way to enjoy one of Birmingham's most colourful residents.