There’s an urban pheasant wandering around Peckham and it’s already become a local icon

Move over, Del Boy, there’s a new Peckham icon in town – and this one is causing quite a flap. Along with the mice and urban foxes that usually grace the streets of south London, a new feathery addition has been spotted and is rapidly gaining a loyal local following. An ‘urban pheasant’ has been seen pottering about Rye Lane and, judging by a flurry of sightings, appears to have been spending a lot of time on the high street.

This game bird, understood to be a male, was first spotted by eagle-eyed Peckhamites in October last year and is believed to have moved from the outskirts of London to the inner city while searching for food after surviving the shooting season. The feathery fella has since become a Twitter sensation, even getting his own hashtag: #peckhampheasant. Peckham Pheasant, you’ve sent our countryside-starved hearts aflutter.