Does the Rainbow Phenix count as a rare pet for HoM?

I can't find anything that says it does, which seems like Anet really dropped the ball on it considering it's likely the rarest pet there is.

according to the wiki:

so no a reg phoenix would not count as a separate statue--it would get the 'animal companion' one

No. Rainbow phoenix is a normal pet. The other phoenix, the factions one, counts as a rare pet.

And Anet hasn't dropped the ball here. The Rainbow phoenix is, itself, a reward. You don't usully get a reward, and then another reward for getting the first reward

It could be argued that the Black Widow, Black Moa, and even the Imperial Phoenix are rewards, since you have to complete a series of challenges to obtain them. The difference is the type of challenges compared to the Rainbow Phoenix.

Anet really dropped the ball on this one considering it's the most difficult and prestigious pet to get. The only other pet that takes special effort is the Black Widow, everything else is a piece of piss.

I have to agree with Iuris. You dont get a reward for getting a reward.

Black Widow is way to easy to get, it's the Black Moa that takes special effort. Not in difficulty but in time move all across the game.

Not at all. Just have someone that's already done the quest (not necessary have to go through the entire quest chain, this person could have used the same method that you're using) join the group and you can tame black moa without having to do the quest.

In order to get the Rainbow Phoenix, You either need GWAMM or you need to get Kind of a Big Deal and to fill the other HOM displays. What good would it do you to have a Rainbow Phoenix statue after that?

Woah there, you don't need that much. Just People Know Me.

Anyways, as said, a reward for a reward doesn't make sense. The black widow and others are rewards, but the statue, if I might venture to guess, is more for having been able to complete the challenges to get them. For the Rainbow Phoenix, you already have 10 statues to signify the challenges you completed to get it.

Speaking of which, I always wondered what the criteria for getting the phoenix with only Kind of a Big deal is. With the HoM released, I wonder if it, the entire time, was based upon a certain number of HoM points, rather than just filling 'most' of the displays?

No, No it does not count.