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Birds
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Golden
Pheasant
Chrysolophus
pictus
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 Appearance
A spectacularly beautiful bird,
the male golden pheasant has brilliant plumage and
a crest of golden feathers. The female bird is much
plainer, with various shades of brown plumage, streaked
with black. Male: 98-108 cm (38 1/2 - 42 1/2 in),
Female: 63-65 cm (24 3/4 - 25 1/2 in) |
Description
In the wild, golden pheasants
move in pairs or alone and are shy birds, alert to
any danger. They have short wings and are reluctant
to fly, preferring to run from any threat. |
Regions
W.China; introduced in Britain
in scrub on rocky hillsides; introduced in woodland |
Diet
Seeds, leaves, shoots and insects
are their main foods. Little is known of the breeding
habits of this pheasant in its natural habitat, but
in Britain, it makes a shallow scrape on the ground
and lines it with plant material. |
Breeding
The female lays 5 to 12 eggs,
which she incubates for 22 days, apparently hardly
ever, if at all, leaving the nest during this period. |
Status
Non-threatened |
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