GOLDEN PHEASANT

The golden pheasant or Chinese pheasant, (Chrysolophus pictus) is a gamebird of the order

Galliformes (gallinaceous birds) and the family Phasianidae (pheasants).

It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China, but feral populations have been

established in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia,

Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Falkland Islands, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Ireland,

Australia and New Zealand.
In England they may be found in East Anglia in the dense forest landscape of the Breckland

as well as Tresco on the Isles of Scilly.
The adult male is 90–105 cm in length, its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length.

It is unmistakable with its golden crest and rump and bright red body.

The deep orange "cape" can be spread in display, appearing as an alternating black

and orange fan that covers all of the face except its bright yellow eye with a pinpoint

black pupil. Male at Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Malaysia

Males have a golden-yellow crest with a hint of red at the tip. The face, throat, chin,

and the sides of neck are rusty tan. The wattles and orbital skin are both yellow in colour,

and the ruff or cape is light orange. The upper back is green and the rest of the back

and rump is golden-yellow. The tertiaries are blue whereas the scapulars are dark red.

Other characteristics of the male plumage are the central tail feathers, black spotted with cinnamon,

as well as the tip of the tail being a cinnamon buff.

The upper tail coverts are the same colour as the central tail feathers.

The male also has a scarlet breast, and scarlet and light chestnut flanks and underparts.

Lower legs and feet are a dull yellow.The female (hen) is much less showy,

with a duller mottled brown plumage similar to that of the female common pheasant.

She is darker and more slender than the hen of that species, with a proportionately

longer tail (half her 60–80 cm length). The female's breast and sides are barred buff

and blackish brown, and the abdomen is plain buff. She has a buff face and throat.

Some abnormal females may later in their lifetime get some male plumage.

Lower legs and feet are a dull yellow. Both males and females have yellow legs and yellow bills.