Phoenix 1, our golden pheasant male, was actually flirting with a baby rabbit! Golden pheasants perform their mating ritual by fanning out the feathers around their heads on one side, then turning around and doing the same thing on the other side. When we had our female pheasants, the two males did this continuously (which obviously drove the females crazy and may be why they disappeared!) So now that we only have the one male, he tends to flirt with every bird that is roughly his size – the new hens for instance. And now a baby rabbit!
It was difficult to get decent pictures of this little incident because it all happened so fast. Phoenix 1 had been terrorizing this baby rabbit with his flirting when suddenly the mother rabbit chased him off. Hilarious!
A moment after I took this second picture, the mother rabbit collided with Phoenix 1 and he got a terrible fright and flew into the closest tree. I stood there amazed and grinning.
jmgoyder 
watching nature at its best is surely soothing to the heart……………..
Yes!
Haha, the poor bird needs a lady! (or a castration…)
I’ve been searching for a female for him for months – very hard to find.
What a gorgeous bird – it’s so much more vibrant that the pheasants we have here – is it a domesticated bird? Great story!
I bought him and his brother from a guy who had them in a cage. Now he is very tame and wanders around freely. They are not native to Australia.
hahaha unbelievably funny and interestingly weird. Between this story and a story my friend told me today, I’m just shaking my head. Turns out that my friend’s dog humps his stuffy toys when company comes over but not until he’s thrashed them about a bit and ensured that they’re submissive…Me thinks that this puppy read 50 shades…
That’s obscene – hahahaha!
Yes it is and thankfully I’ve never seen it!
I wouldn’t want to see that either!
does he at least buy them dinner after? holy hell!
You are a tonic!
awww, I want to be a gin and tonic, like the other one!
How about vodka and tonic?
nope…gin and make it tanguery. the rest just tastes like shit. 😉
I agree! We call it tanqueray (I think!)
you mean you spell it correctly? lol
nope, typical male… just kidding of course. 😉
Yeah, wink wink. got it! 😆
Looks like Mommy rabbit told him! Lol!
That’s for sure!
Wow love that first photo…………………
It was so funny!
Phoenix 1 sounds like he is a constant source of entertainment. I laughed when I read your conclusion as to why the females disappeared!
They were driven away by love!
What a classic! Isn’t nature just the finest thing 🙂 I love watching animals (particularly when the do ‘out of the ordinary’ things!)
😀
So do I – such strange antics!
Oh my Julie — this is one gorgeous pheasant. I guess he doesn’t know he is so attractive – but just has this ‘flirting instinct” built in! Amazing and what an entertaining thing to observe 🙂 xo
So funny to watch the little scenario!
well you know what they say about rabbits…
Yes indeedy!
darn! was hoping you would say “no, what do they say about rabbits?”. lol.
Oh I know all about rabbits now I am so surrounded by them! Ha!
i can relate. makes me miss my hawk!
I have always wanted a hawk!
they are not as loyal as i’d like..they’ve left me wanting.
Oh boy! God thing rabbits don’t eat birds. 😉
You never know in this place – ha!
Meant to say Good thing! Ugh! 😦
Amazing, Julie.
(I saw a golden pheasant at the zoo do this ‘fanning’ thing with it’s ruff of neck feathers. It’s the most amazing thing I have even seen. It’s like the whole of the pheasant’s neck feathers stand out. I can imagine exactly what Phoenix 1 was doing).
Oh I’m so glad you saw this Victoria because it’s such a difficult thing to describe in words! When we had the two females and the two males, both males did it constantly all day long!
I’ve only seen it the once and I think it was the last zoo visit 2 weeks ago.
It’s an incredible sight isn’t it, Julie. The feathers standing out make it almost look like a mask with a flared neck piece. Quite unique. I think it more interesting that the peacock shaking it’s feathers.
you are so entertaining – or your animals are and you catch them
He’s a beauty, but definitely not very smart. LOL
Priceless!
I understand Phoenix 1 – would go for the little cute rabbit instead of a dull hen. Maybe it was good at mum Rabbit turned up as she did. And to tell you the truth if I was mum Rabbit I would go for Phoenix 1 myself – some handsome fellow, with his very posh color setting. Thanks for the cute photos.
Universal love. I so love this!
Seems that our so “called bird brain” feathered friends have far more intelligence than some humans. No discrimination there,
A brilliant post Jules.
Thank you Mother nature.
That is hilarious!
Oh my goodness…how entertaining!
Talk about a protective parent. Bet the baby bunny had no idea what was going on.
How do you seem to catch these quinky-dinks of nature? Do you camp outside and work for National Geographic?
I wish – ‘quinky-dinks’ is a great word!
Love it to bits… man I’m missing my all day internet of the city…
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