Avid Avian Followers Flocking To Stony Brook For Rare Sighting Of Mandarin Duck

STONY BROOK, NY — It's a beautiful duck if there ever was one, but there's a reason for it.

A vibrant Mandarin duck with intricate plumage, a rarity on Long Island, has been seen in Stony Brook, drawing avid birdwatchers from all over Long Island.

The duck, which showed up last week at a neighborhood pond off Rhododendron Road, is being called a "lifer" because for many seeing it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, according to News 12.

It can be found in the British Isles, western Europe, and parts of North America -- but not Long Island, Wikipedia states.

"It's really beautiful," birder Michael Walter told News 12. "If you have a chance to see it, you should come and see it."

The state's Department of Environmental Conservation does not monitor rare bird sightings, a spokeswoman said.

But spectators can share their sightings to ebird.org, which is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.