A student may have discovered a rare exotic bird that presumably became extinct in Britain.
The bird, known as the pheasant of Lady Amherst, is certainly a sight to behold. It has a red crest with strikingly colorful orange, blue, green and yellow plumage. The tail feather of the bird is long and exaggerated with a black and white pattern and is about 3 to 4 feet long.
The birds were introduced to England in the 1890s by Lady Sarah Amherst, who brought them to their estates from China and Myanmar. By 1990, there were still only about 20 of the pheasants in the UK. It is believed that the last lady Amhearst was discovered and photographed in 2015.
That was until the student from the St. Andrews University Sophie Pearson came across the unique bird when she looked out of her flat window on March 5, 2021.
“At first I could not really believe what I was seeing, especially given the size of the bird and initially thought it was a peacock,” Pearson told the Courier. “We ran out to take a closer look and to our surprise it did not scurry and it looks quite tame.”
Pearson fed the pheasant oats and the bird lingered in her garden for about 20 minutes.
“I was very upset because it was an amazing look and the colors were so vibrant,” Pearson told the Courier. “Eventually it went into a tree and then disappeared so as not to be seen again, even though he had left food behind.”
The student contacted the British Trust of Ornithology (BTO) to inform the institution of the rare sighting.
“It is suspected that the bird is now extinct in the wild in the United Kingdom, but while this is unlikely, it is not inconceivable that a ‘rogue’ bird could survive in Fife,” said BTO media manager Paul Stancliffe. told Courier. “Despite the bright marks, pheasants can be extremely elusive and find it difficult if they want to be like that, who knows?”
The last umbrella you will ever buy:
In The Know is now available on Apple News – follow us here!
If you liked this story, take a look at this family who discover an “insane” unwelcome guest in their living room.
More from In The Know:
According to In The Know editorial staff, there are 6 candles that will give hype for spring
7 of the best sunscreens for darker skin
TikTok loves this viral herbal saver that keeps products fresh for weeks
This beautiful high-tech toaster oven hybrid is the perfect modern kitchen tool
The report Experts ‘marvel’ at the sighting of rare birds that are thought to be extinct will first appear on In The Know.