This week we wanted to bring a little colour to your inbox, but which colour? There are so many to choose from. Then we thought, to hell with it, let’s go with all of them. Behold the Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus).
These outrageous birds originally hailed from mountainous western China, but people thought they looked pretty neat, so they’ve been shunted all over the world. Today they’re a common sight in many aviaries and zoo, and there are feral populations roaming free in North America, Europe and Australia.
The greatest influence the Golden Pheasant had on society came when they served as inspiration for Donald Trump’s iconic hairstyle. I have no doubt he walked into a barber shop, handed over a photo of this pheasant and said, ‘make me fabulous like the bird’. And who can blame him?
As is so often the case, with a particularly fancy male, the females tend to be more of a non-descript grey. Males will attempt to mate with as many females as possible, and they try to impress them by fanning out their black and yellow striped capes that hang from their necks. They flash them out up to their eyes, like a coy lady with a fan … except they’re definitely not coy … if anything they’re the opposite … incredibly arrogant and proud.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Can this bird fly? And the answer is yes, and they look spectacular when they do it.
29/08/2021
Bird of the Week 