Lonely pheasant takes up residence in mirror sculpture, to marvel at his own reflection

The handsome cock pheasant has been living in a mirror sculpture on the University of Exeter’s campus since May.

The bird, a common pheasant believed to be around 2 years old,  gazes into the 6 mirrors, part of a sculpture entitled Reflected Vision by Kenny Munro. He struts around the sculpture, and in between its mirrors, apparently communicating with other birds. 

Animal behaviour experts at the University of Exeter say the cock pheasant believes other males have moved into his territory, and that he must confront them.

University staff who watch the pheasant’s antics from their office windows, have unofficially adopted the pheasant, whom they have named Brewster, after the inventor of the Kaleidoscope.

His arrival coincides with research by Dr Joah Madden, an expert on animal behaviour at the University of Exeter which shows that pheasants have exceptionally small brains. Researchers compared roadkill figures from the 1960s and 2010s – before and after the start of mass release programmes of pheasants for shooting – and found pheasants remain disproportionately likely to be run over than other birds.

Professor Madden, who has also carried out research into the behaviour of pheasants, said that the bird  would now be particularly worried that other male pheasants have moved into his territory.

From November onwards male and female pheasants start to segregate and males carve out their own territory, trying to see off rival males.

“By putting up a mirror sculpture, we have put potential opponents there and when he moves they seem to move towards him. It must be particularly disconcerting,” said Professor Madden.

 The eight-foot mirrored sculpture, has three double-sided mirrors, and is located on the Exeter University Campus outside the Bill Douglas cinema museum.

 It is part of a collection of 40 sculptures on display on Exeter’s campus by artists including Barbara Hepworth, Paul Mount and Geoffrey Clarke. The University has a sculpture walk through campus and is open to members of the public.

Naome Glanville, the University’s Arts and Culture Co-ordinator who can see him form her office said:   “The pheasant arrived on campus this spring and has been arousing the curiosity of visitors to the University’s sculpture walk as he peers at himself in the reflected facets of the sculpture, no doubt convinced he is looking at a rival.  He obviously likes the company of his reflected friend, as he has decided to stay put there.  We are delighted that he feels at home on Campus and has been taken into the affections of staff and students”

Phil Wickham, curator of the Bill Douglas museum, said: “The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum has a new visitor in a magnificent pheasant which has taken residence in the museum’s sculpture ‘Reflected Vision’. Brewster has been with us since May, delighting visitors and frequently admiring himself in the multiple mirrors that make up ‘Reflected Vision’”. ‘Reflected Vision’ is a sculpture created by artist Kenny Munro in 2015 which is informed by the museum’s collections of optical media, especially the Kaleidoscope. Because of this the museum have named him ‘Brewster’, after Sir David Brewster who invented that ever popular children’s toy. “