Bird · GBIF taxon 5228034
Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictusAlso known as Chinese Pheasant, Rainbow Pheasant
Golden Pheasants display extraordinary sexual dimorphism, with males sporting a brilliant golden crest, deep scarlet body, and a patterned orange-and-black cape that fans out during courtship displays. Native to the dense, mountainous forests of western and central China, these shy gamebirds spend most of their time foraging on the forest floor for seeds, shoots, and small invertebrates. When startled, they prefer running rapidly into thick brush over taking flight, roosting high in trees only at night to escape ground predators.
ColorfulForest BirdPlumed
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Seeds
- Bamboo Shoots
- Insects
Predators
- Martens
- Foxes
- Raptors
ThreatsHabitat loss and poaching for the pet and feather trade
HabitatsDense mountain forests, bamboo thickets, and rocky scrublands
Life span10–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPhasianidae
- SpeciesChrysolophus pictus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Timing: Look for males foraging along forest edges during early morning and late afternoon.
- Listening: Listen for the loud, metallic chack-chack call made during the spring breeding season.
- Approach: Keep a quiet distance near dense cover to avoid flushing birds into flight.
Co-Occurring Species MZPlus / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Henry Koh, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Relative (c) John Krampl, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Krampl · cc-by
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