Meet Beautiful Mandarin Duck – The Worlds Most Beautiful Bird (10 Pics)

Meet the Mandarin duck, regularly dubbed the most beautiful bird in the world, and it’s easy to see why. With its strikingly colorful feathers and unique shape, it really is like no other animal we have ever seen before.

In fact, the only Mandarin duck colonies that exist in North America—the largest is in northern California—were formed by escaped or released domestic ducks. The danger with this is that these non-native species can sometimes become invasive. As they don't have any natural predators in the ecosystem they're dropped into, they can quickly spiral out of control and overrun local wildlife. This is why there are strict controls on the ownership and release of exotic animals. In fact, the reason why no one stepped forward to claim the Central Park duck is probably because it's actually illegal to own these animals as pets in the city.