Lady Amherst Pheasant and 7 Interesting Things You Should Know
Lady Amherst Pheasant — Various types of pheasants are popular as commodities, because of the beautiful color of their feathers. Each variety has its own uniqueness, which satisfies the taste buds of ornamental chicken hobbyists. And, one of the pheasant species with the most artistic appearance, the Lady Amherst pheasant.
This species of pheasant with the scientific name Chrysolophus amherstiae, comes from southwest China and Tibet. However, they also make up the UK’s population, although it is currently in decline.
Based on scientific classification, the Lady Amherst pheasant is closely related to Chrysolophus pictus, or popularly known as the golden pheasant a.k.a golden pheasant. Like most pheasants, Lady Amherst Pheasant run more often than not on their wings. However, they also often perch on trees at night.
The Lady Amherst Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) is a bird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae. The genus name is Ancient Greek khrusolophos, “with the golden coat of arms”. The English name and amherstiae commemorate Sarah Countess Amherst, wife of William Pitt Amherst, Governor General of Bengal, who was responsible for sending the first specimen of the bird to London in 1828.
The Lady Amherst Pheasant is native to South-western China and Burma. But over time, this species has been introduced elsewhere. Lady Amherst first introduced this ornamental bird on her estate near the Duke of Bedford Woburn Abbey, where it was introduced crossbreeding in England to increase its population.
The Lady Amherst Pheasant is 100–120 cm long (tail length is usually 80 cm). The color of the tail is gray and the rump is red, blue, green, white or yellow. This species also has yellow eyes and blue or gray feet.
In this group of pheasants there are striking differences in appearance between male and female birds. The male has brilliant hair, while the female looks very unpretentious. The nature of Lady Amherst’s pheasant in nature is no different from other pheasants. The male is ‘unfaithful’ to the female. He didn’t help build the nest. If the bird is kept in a cage, the female does not want to incubate the eggs, so the hatching must be assisted by the chicken.
The male Lady Amherst Pheasant does seem like a dandy, having feathers on the back of the head that are arranged extending down to the back of the neck. From afar, the arrangement of feathers looks like a woman’s hair flowing down near her back.
Lady Amherst Pheasant and Interesting Thing
There is a lot that can be revealed from this Lady Amherst Pheasant, but for this time I will give you the thing that most impresses people when they see it.
Here is the information for you:
1. Physical Characteristics of Lady Amherst Pheasant
You can see in the photos that show the figure of the Lady Amherst pheasant, they look so charming. So, it is no exaggeration to say that Lady Amherst’s pheasant is one of nature’s masterpieces that really spoils the eye.
Lady Amherst pheasants have a striated pattern, with stripes that contrast with the color of their plumage, giving them the appearance of ink strokes. The elegant color combination, ranging from green, red, white, black, metallic dark blue, and orange feathers sticking out of the tail, also provides an invaluable natural charm.
2. Population Distribution of Lady Amherst Pheasant
As previously mentioned, the Lady Amherst pheasant originates from southwest China and Tibet, all the way to northern Burma. Lady Amherst’s pheasant has also bred in various parts of the world, from the United Kingdom, to Hawaii and New Zealand.
In addition, Lady Amherst’s pheasant has also been found in the United States. However, they are thought to have escaped from aviaries or were released on purpose, and do not breed naturally in this region.
3. Lady Amherst Pheasant Behavior and Lifestyle
Although male Lady Amherst Pheasants have a striking appearance, their behavior and lifestyle in nature have not been widely recorded. What is known, Lady Amherst’s pheasant foraging on land during the day. Meanwhile, at night, they often perch on trees.
Despite having wings and being able to fly, Lady Amherst’s pheasant prefers to run on the ground. However, there are times when when surprised, they can shoot through the air at high speed.
4. Lady Amherst Pheasant food
Classified as an omnivore, the Lady Amherst Pheasant often eats spiders and small beetles. They meet the needs of plant-based food, by eating ferns, and enjoy bamboo shoots. In addition, Lady Amherst’s pheasant also consumes seeds, tubers, and strawberries.
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5. Reproduction and Life Cycle of Lady Amherst Pheasant
The Lady Amherst Pheasant begins laying eggs in mid-April, and the male Lady Amherst’s pheasant begins to establish territory around mid-March. The females build their nests in the ground, which are usually located under bushes or piles of twigs, in the form of shallow, circular recesses surrounded by dry leaves.
In one reproductive period, Lady Amherst’s pheasant produces 6–12 cream colored eggs, and incubates for 24 days. After hatching, the chicks of Lady Amherst’s pheasant immediately leave the nest, and are able to find their own food, by following their mother to a food source. The color of Lady Amherst’s pheasant children’s fur is graded, from golden brown, light brown, and yellowish white.
6. Lady Amherst Pheasant Lifetime
Due to environmental fluctuations and the threat of predators, the Lady Amherst Pheasant can live for 6–10 years in the wild. While in captivity, their life span is longer, and has been recorded to reach more than 15 years.
7. Interesting Facts About Lady Amherst Pheasant
From her native China, the Lady Amherst Pheasant was introduced to England in a small population, mostly in Bedfordshire. It is estimated that the population of Lady Amherst’s pheasant there is no more than 10 pairs for breeding.
Lady Amherst’s pheasant has an interesting ritual dance, which showcases the beauty of the color of their feathers.
Although it can fly, Lady Amherst’s pheasant runs more often when feeling threatened. They only fly when startled or when they head for a tree branch to roost.
Conclusion
Lady Amherst Pheasant is a graceful type of pheasant bird. No wonder many people like to keep it as a stress reliever and relaxation bird.
Thus this brief discussion, hopefully it can be useful for all of you. Don’t forget to share all your social media accounts so that many people can benefit from my writing. Finally I say thank you very much, and have a nice day.
