Rare footage of a male golden pheasant courting a female was recently captured by infrared cameras in a nature reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Staff member of the Weishan Qinghua green peafowl provincial nature reserve in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture found the romantic courtship display when collecting footage.

With its plumage shimmering in a dazzling array of red, orange, golden-yellow, green and blue, the golden pheasant is a rare bird species unique to China.

In the footage, the male golden pheasant, adorned with plumage, was seen circling the female repeatedly in courtship performance.

Endemic to China, the golden pheasant is called "little phoenix" for its bright and eye-catching colors. It is a national second-class protected animal and the prototype of the Chinese saying "Golden Rooster Crows", meaning "the cock announces the arrival of dawn".

The golden pheasant is an omnivorous bird that primarily feeds on plant matter.