The nickname “Summer duck” applies to both the mandarin duck and the woodduck, two distinct birds: the woodduck (Aix sponsa) native to North America, and the mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), native to Asia. While biologically closely related, their male drakes have distinct appearances, particularly in their flank feathers, which interest fly tyers greatly. These feathers can be used interchangeably in most fly tying recipes due to their near-identical nature.
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