What to Know
- A rare Mandarin duck not found in the U.S. was spotted near The Pond in Central Park.
- The bird is native to part of East Asia, and is believed to have escaped captivity at a zoo or private collection.
- Birders and Rangers alike are currently trying to locate the bird in Central Park.
A rare male Mandarin duck not naturally found in the U.S. has been spotted in Central Park.
The colorful duck that is native to East Asia was a rare sighting for New Yorkers at the park Wednesday. Bird photographer Gus Keri spotted the gorgeous species near The Pond close to Hallett Nature Sanctuary and quickly recorded a close-up video of the bird.
The Manhattan Bird Alert, a Twitter page for Central Park's most astonishing bird sightings, says they've never seen one out of captivity in the city, and the bird doesn't migrate anywhere near New York. They believe it escaped captivity from a zoo or private collection, telling by the band on its right leg.
It was suspected that the bird belonged to The Central Park Zoo, as the zoo is in such close proximity to where the bird was found, but they recently reported that their Mandarin duck has not gone missing.
The Manhattan Bird Alert has informed the Central Park Rangers but the bird has not been spotted again. Birders are currently searching for the duck near East 59th Street. It has not been found but is assumed the bird is still there, hiding in the vegetation near the shoreline.
