Celebrity spotters in New York City, have a new star in their sights: A multi-coloured duck.
The male mandarin duck - Aix galericulata - has found fame in the Big Apple after he appeared in Central Park.
His colourful plumage quickly earned him a keen following on social media.
It all started on 10 October, when a video of the colourful bird was shared on Twitter by Manhattan Bird Alert.
The city's bird-watching community rushed to catch a glimpse of the mysterious visitor.
The species is native to east Asia, and many speculated it has escaped from a "private owner".
The account suggested the arrival had dethroned the wood duck as the "prettiest duck in the park".
The duck's vibrant appearance is perhaps the perfect Instagram fodder, and may go some way to explain his rapid rise to social media stardom.
The platform has since seen 19,200 posts using the hashtag #MandarinDuck.
Also, the bird is hardly inconspicuous, with his purple and blue mohawk, pink bill and orange 'sail' feathers.
Instagram user @pjmdvm, a microbiologist and veterinarian, said she had "stalked a lot of birds, and he was one of the easiest to find".
View this post on InstagramMystery Mandarin Duck in Central Park, with his Wood Duck friend. I’ve stalked a lot of birds, and he was one of the easiest to find. #mandarinduck #ducksofcentralpark #centralparkpond #woodduck #birdsofcentralpark #wildlife #birdsofinstagram #birdstagram #birdstalking #feather_perfection #i❤ny A post shared by Patti (@pjmdvm) on Nov 1, 2018 at 11:29pm PDT
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Marisa Cespedes shared a video of the assembled press and bird-watchers clamouring to get the perfect shot of Central Park's new "rock star".
View this post on Instagram¡Pato Mandarin! Rock Star 🌟 de ‘Stars’ 🦆🦆🦆 pero ¿cómo demonios apareció @centralparknyc? #mandarinduck #NYC A post shared by Marisa Cespedes (@seishinny) on Oct 31, 2018 at 8:57pm PDT
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Holly Mascaro, a New York based bird watcher, described the duck as "the hottest bachelor in NYC", and wrote that he was "trying to fit in with the mallards".
View this post on InstagramSpotted the Hottest Bachelor in NYC this morning🔥🦆#MandarinDucks are native to Asia, not North America - so it’s a mystery how this guy showed up in Central Park recently. He has a leg band so either belonged to zoo (but NYC zoos said he isn’t theirs) or escaped from a private owner (owning ducks is illegal in NYC). Either way he’s currently trying to fit in with the Mallards and a Wood Duck in Central Park! #MandarinDuck #Central Park #BirdCP A post shared by holly laine mascaro (@hollylainem) on Nov 1, 2018 at 6:48am PDT
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Speculation over where the duck came from has been rife, given that this breed of duck is native to east Asia.
Many on Twitter highlighted a small tag on the duck's leg, and asked if he had escaped from the local zoo.
Central Park Zoo, who do have a mandarin duck, confirmed the one currently making a splash in the park does not belong to them.
Manhattan Bird Alert suggested that the bird may have escaped from a "private owner".
To the consternation of Friends fans everywhere, it is illegal to keep a duck as a pet in New York City.
The NYC Department of Park and Recreation shared a video of the city's "hottest celebrity" to welcome him to the park.
End of Facebook post by New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
And the bird's arrival has inspired some social media users to create artistic tributes to the eye-catching animal.
View this post on InstagramAmidst all the craziness and distress, the mysterious appearance of a mandarin duck in Central Park made me smile today. I may have to go for a walk in the park tomorrow to try and spot it. #mandarinduck #ducks #birds #centralpark #escapism #nature #rarebirds #color #watercolor #kindness #nycmystery A post shared by Amy Routman (@amyroutman) on Nov 1, 2018 at 6:37pm PDT
Source: bbc.com
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