Golden pheasant

Description

This bird has a marked sexual dimorphism, as the males have unmistakable golden colours, whilst the females have brown plumage that allows them to escape the notice of predators. The males can measure up to over 1 m with their large tails, and they have a ruff of feathers from the back of the cheeks to the start of the back that is old gold colour, flanked by black transversal stripes. 

Behaviour

In the courting season, the male tends to be quite aggressive and defends its territory from other males. It courts the female by walking around her and ruffling the feathers on its golden ruff. The female lays 8-12 eggs that are brown in colour, which are incubated for 22-23 days until they hatch. 

Interesting facts

These are very shy birds who hide in the dense forests during the day, resting in the trees during the night. They are clumsy flyers. They are one of the most popular pheasants in aviaries as they are easy to look after. Although their populations are not endangered they face certain threats such as habitat destruction from tree felling and illegal trafficking.