Lady Amherst's Pheasant - Facts, Pictures and Other Information

The Lady Amherst's Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) are native to south western China and Tibet, but have also established a self-supporting, but now declining, feral population in England. This species is closely related to the Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus). They usually roost in trees at night. Whilst they can fly, they prefer to run. The male has a gruff call in the breeding season.

Range

Southwestern China, northern Burma. Has been introduced locally in parts of Great Britain. Attempted introductions throughout the world, including New Zealand and Hawaii. Birds may also be seen in a semi-feral state in the US, mostly escapes from aviaries or purposely released. It is doubtful there are any breeding populations here.

Behavior

Even though the male has a showy appearance, there is very little known of their behavior in the wild. They feed on the ground on grain, leaves, and invertebrates during the day. At night they can be found roosting in the trees. While the can fly, they prefer to run although if startled can burst upwards at a great speed.

Lifespan

In the wild these birds live for between 6 to 10 years however in captivity they have been recorded living for over 15 years.

Diet

The Lady Amherst's Pheasant feeds usually on the ground, taking spiders and small Coleopterans. It also takes plant matter such as fern fronds, but its preferred food is mainly bamboo sprouts. It may consume seeds, roots and berries too.

Reproduction

The laying starts at mid-April in S China and the male are territorial as soon as mid-March. The nest of the Lady Amherst's Pheasant is on the ground, usually under bush or dead branches. This is a round, shallow depression lined with dead leaves.

The hen lays 6-12 creamy-buff eggs. She incubates alone during 24 days. The chicks are precocial and leave the nest very soon. They are able to feed themselves, following the female which leads them to food sources and does not back to the nest again. The chicks are covered in fulvous-brown down with paler bands above, and buffy-white below.

Interesting Facts

• The Lady Amherst's Pheasant was introduced from China and survives in the UK in small numbers, largley in Bedfordshire. It is estimated that there are fewer than 10 breeding pairs.
• They engange in an attractive ritualistic dance, which displays their colouring. They are one of the most colourful pheasants.
• A group of pheasants has many collective nouns, including a "bouquet", "brace", "plume", "plump", and "trip" of pheasants.
• Even though it is able to fly, even when threatened this bird prefers to run, however it will take small flights to allow them to roost in trees.