The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed yesterday what southern Wisconsin birders have known for several days. The Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee is hosting a male Mandarin Duck, arguably the world's most spectacular and beautiful duck.

If you don't want to drive to Milwaukee and join dozens of other birders, check out the photos below. WOW, WOW, WOW.

*Mandarin Duck photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren*

*Mandrin Duck preening photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren*

*Mandarin Duck at the zoo in Basel, Switzerland, photo by Tambako The Jaguar FCC*

I'm feeling a bit guilty about all this, mostly because of my initial response. Which was, “This is so cool, so neat, what a bird, what a looker, we are SO lucky.” Then, the next reflection and guilt. Gee, the bird is not supposed to be here. Is it an escapee that doesn't have a chance to survive? Does it pose any threat to native species? Shouldn't I be saving my admiration for our native species, all too many of which are endangered, threatened, or declining?

I can rest assured on some counts. Mandarin Ducks do not appear to pose any threat to native species of waterfowl. Escapees from public or private collections seem to have a decent chance to survive. In several places in the continental United States, Mandarin Ducks have established feral, self-sustaining populations, again without apparent harm to other wildlife.

At the basis of my guilt is the strong part beauty plays in my appreciation and support of wildlife—too strong perhaps? Back to fish (of course). The tiger trout, a hybrid of brown and brook trout, is one of Wisconsin's striking. It combines the vivid colors and pattern of brook and brown trout in spectacular fashion. But it's not supposed to be here. Brown trout are an exotic, some would say invasive species; in many streams, they wholly or substantially replace the native brook trout. Nevertheless, I was delighted when I caught my first and only tiger trout two years ago and my fishing friends and I are always tickled to learn of someone catching one. They are extremely rare in Wisconsin and are not bred or stocked here.

Birds and fish. I think House Finches are cute and lovely and I'm always happy to see them in the yard. Pink salmon, a startling fish in its spawning colors and body shape and another exotic, has established itself in Lake Michigan and I'd love to catch one. Sorry to confess, I find starlings handsome fellows.

*European Starling photo by Mick Thompson*

While I don't know that many of you are starling fans, I suspect my affinity for lovely creatures is widely shared. Thank goodness because that emotion is one of the building blocks of our concern for and care of wildlife. We are as emotional as we are rational. A conservation ethic needs an emotional foundation as much as a rational one. Madison Audubon members would not donate time and money to our birds, their habitat, and their fellow creatures if they did not love them. The beauty of those creatures and their homes nourishes that love.

Enjoy the Mandarin in person or in photographs. Let's embrace him as one of the colorful and happy surprises Nature can offer, even during dreary January.

Thanks for your care of the natural beauty that surrounds us and take care,
Topf Wells, Madison Audubon advocacy committee

Additional note from the author:

Though I reference bird species that are not native to Wisconsin, my reflection on how nature can be incredibly beautiful and inspire conservation is not a form of advocacy for these species. While appreciating a bird’s plumage exemplifies how our attraction to beauty supports our conservation ethic, it’s not the only support. Appreciating and understanding how creatures function in a healthy or not so healthy environment are also part of that ethic’s foundation.

In some cases, invasive or exotic species can cause serious harm to native wildlife populations. Thinking about them closely, in addition to perhaps marvelling at their beauty, can lead to a better understanding of the complexity of our current natural world, and what it needs to be healthier. We need to better protect native species of all sorts—I know from battling invasive honeysuckle, buckthorn, reed canary grass, and even starlings for a couple of years at the kestrel boxes I was monitoring. But scientists also acknowledge that many invasive species are here to stay—we need to better understand their impact to evaluate what options we have for managing them.