TOURISTS spotted a rare exotic bird on a waterfall walk in the Lake District.

A red golden pheasant was spotted by tourists on the morning of Thursday (May 30) next to the viewing point of Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall walk in Ambleside.

This was the second time the bird was spotted in the area in the same month. On May 20 it was seen by guests staying at the Old Vicarage on Vicarage Road.

The bird is the most popular of all pheasants to be kept in captivity however they are extremely hardy and can survive in extreme environments both hot and cold.

Golden Pheasants were introduced to Britain in the 1700s however, they are native to the mountainous forests of Western and Central China.

READ MORE: WATCH: Rare red golden pheasant pays visit to B&B

Megan Woodland, who photographed the bird, said: "My friend and I had come to the Lake District for a couple of days from Cambridge, our trip focused around climbing Scafell Pike. We decided to spend one night in Ambleside to explore the local area. We got up early to see Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall before it got too busy at 8am.

"As I was taking in the views at the top, I noticed a very brightly coloured bird come out from behind the trees. It was a complete juxtaposition against the gloomy, earthy tones of the damp forest. My friend and I had never seen one before, and thanks to Apple software, by taking a photo it identified it as a Chinese or Golden Pheasant. 

"I stood for a while watching it as it made its way from behind the trees along the path to the exit via the rotating gate. It was extremely timid, it came up very close to me. The colours were beautiful. I had never seen anything like it."

Its preferred habitat is a dense forest or woodlands with sparse undergrowth during the day and high trees at night.

This particular bird with its colourful plumage is believed to be a male as its female counterpart is paler brown. 

Despite a declining population, golden pheasants are still listed as Least concern.

Although a naturalised introduced species, they're still quite a rare sight - especially in Cumbria.