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Golden pheasant appears at Abbotsford’s Mill Lake Park

Social media users abuzz about appearance of unique bird in park
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Social media users were agog with the sight of this Golden pheasant at Abbotsford’s Mill Lake Park. (Joel Smart/Facebook)

An unusual bird ruffled some feathers at Mill Lake Park recently.

Several users on social media posted about the unique creature, which is also known as the Chinese pheasant or rainbow pheasant.

The bird has a look similar to gamebirds such as turkeys, grouse or chicken, but it has a striking golden crest and bright red body. The one spotted in Abbotsford also contains the birds signature orange crest around its head.

These markings indicate the bird at Mill Lake Park is a male. The adult male golden pheasant ranges in size from 35 to 41 inches, and is native to areas of western China. However, feral populations have been established in countries all over the world, including Canada.

Social media users seemed unclear if the pheasant was wild or someone’s pet.

Pheasants typically feed on the ground on grain, leaves or bugs, but tend to roost in trees during the night. The birds do have the ability to fly for short distances, but they spend the majority of their time on the ground. When startled, they can also burst upwards at fast speeds.

The bird gained some social media notoriety a few years ago, when it was suggested that one of the creatures in China looked like U.S. president Donald Trump.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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