MILWAUKEE — Birders and photographers flocked to the Lake Michigan shoreline this week, in hopes of of seeing a ‘rare-for-this-area’ mandarin duck.
The duck is native to East Asia. It’s rare to see one living in southeast Wisconsin. People were seen taking pictures of the bird at the South Shore Yacht Club.
Wisconsin’s Morning News welcomed amateur photographer Keith Orcholski on the show to discuss his sighting, telling the team that “some had their cameras, and others had their iPhones, trying to get pictures of the duck.”
Since it’s not native to the area, biologists have suggested that the duck likely came from a private collection or a zoo.
“It can hold its own,” Orcholski said. “When they’re feeding, it’ll go after the geese and the other ducks. It lets them know ‘Hey I need to eat too.'”
Bird-watchers from across the region visited Lake Michigan since a handful of viral social media posts brought awareness to the mandarin duck’s location. With all of the attention it has drawn, Orcholski offered a new nickname for the duck:
“It’s the king of the ducks,” he joked.
#DuckPics Thanks to one of our @620wtmj fans who texted in pictures of the cool looking Mandarin Duck at South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee. That’s DUCK pics. U-ck. Just so we’re clear. pic.twitter.com/cECcxJwKBS
— Vince Vitrano (@vincevitrano) January 13, 2023
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