Chrysolophus Amherstiae

Lady Amherst’s Pheasant is native to southwestern China and northern Myanmar. The adult male is 100 to 120 cm (39 to 46 in) in length, with the tail making up about 80 cm of the total length. The bird weighs between 1.5 and 2 pounds. It has a nuchal black and white cape with a red crest. They have long black and white tails with a rump that is red, blue, dark green, white and yellow plumage. The “cape” can be raised for display. They are closely related to the golden pheasant but has a yellow eye with blue-green bare skin around it. The bill is horn-colored and the legs are blue-gray. The female is far less showy to aid in camouflage. She has duller mottled brown plumage all over but with finer barring than most common female pheasants. In comparison to the female golden pheasant, she has a darker head and cleaner underparts. The life span of the Lady Amherst’s pheasant is 6 to 10 years in the wild but can survive up to 15 years in captivity. They are predominantly ground dwelling birds, roosting in trees at night, preferring to run rather than fly.