Are you missing your Golden Pheasant?

The handsome chap above was spotted in Westover Hills yesterday by Kristin Friedline, who provided the photo above. As far as we know he is still, free as a bird. RACC has been contacted and it was confirmed that Maymont has no missing fowl. The assumption is that this pretty bird flew a local coop. Although, Wikipedia states that there are feral populations in the United States.

All information about the Golden Pheasant taken from Wikipedia.

The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), is also known as the Chinese pheasant, and rainbow pheasant.

It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China, but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. In England they may be found in East Anglia in the dense forest landscape of the Breckland as well as Tresco on the Isles of Scilly.

They feed on the ground on grain, leaves and invertebrates, but they roost in trees at night. During winter, flocks tend to forage close to human settlements at the edge of forest, taking primarily wheat leaves and seeds. While they can fly clumsily in short bursts, they prefer to run and spend most of their time on the ground. If startled, they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed and with a distinctive wing sound.