NEW YORK CITY — There's a hot new celebrity in the ponds at Central Park, and obsessed New Yorkers are all lining up to see him.<br /><br />The BBC reports that back in October, Manhattan Bird Alert directed the city's collective attention to a lone mandarin duck that seemed to have suddenly showed up among the city's usual waterfowl - catching eyes with its multi-colored mohawk, pink bill, and orange sail feathers. <br /><br />The rare bird is native to East Asia, so the fact that it's in the middle of the Big Apple is a bit of a mystery.<br /><br />Eagle-eyed watchers who spotted a tag on its leg thought it may have escaped from somewhere, but the Central Park Zoo claims it's not theirs, reports CNN.<br /><br />It's possible the bird came from a private owner. Then again, it's illegal to have a pet duck in New York, so not like anyone's gonna come forward.<br /><br />The brightly colored rock star has been attracting huge crowds of locals and tourists alike, and has since become a social media phenomenon.<br /><br />Not only does the Mandarin have its own hashtag and Twitter account, it's also inspired numerous artistic tributes.<br /><br />Like New York Magazine said, it's definitely the city's most eligible bachelor.
