In the world of ornithology there are beautiful birds, but none has caused as much media stir as the Golden Pheasant specimen that lives in the Hangzhou Safari Park, in eastern China. The reason is not only its bright plumage, but also its “crest” of yellow feathers that looks like an exact replica of the iconic hairstyle of the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
The photo was originally captured by a local journalist and, within hours, crossed China’s borders to flood social media in the West. Internet users were quick to nickname it “Little Donald”, pointing out that not only does the color of its crest match, but also the way the feathers fall over its eyes, giving it an expression of authority very similar to that of the politician.
Beyond the memes, it is a Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus). It is a species native to the mountains of western China, although it has been introduced to other countries because of its spectacular beauty. The male is the one that has these vibrant colors (yellow, red, and orange) to attract females, proving that in the animal kingdom, having good “style” is also a matter of survival.
The bird’s keeper at the Hangzhou zoo confessed that before the photo went viral, he had not noticed the resemblance. However, now that thousands of tourists come just to see the “Trump bird”, he admits that the similarity is undeniable. “After Trump won the election, I started seeing more photos of him and that’s when I realized: the pheasant really does have the same look”, he commented.