Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), male
Golden Pheasant, Male

Golden Pheasant

Chrysolophus pictus

The Golden Pheasant, or Chrysolophus pictus, is a resplendent bird belonging to the pheasant family. Its name reflects its regal bearing and the lustrous, golden crest adorning its head. The male is particularly striking with a bright red body and a cape that, when displayed, reveals an eye-catching pattern of black and orange. The female, while more subdued in color, has her own elegance with mottled brown plumage.

Identification Tips

Males are unmistakable with their golden crest and rump, red body, and orange 'cape'. Their face is a contrasting rusty tan, and they have a bright yellow eye with a black pupil. The green upper back transitions to a golden-yellow on the lower back and rump. Females are less colorful, resembling the common pheasant but with a longer tail and a buff face and throat.

Habitat

These birds are native to the mountainous forests of western China, but have been introduced to various other regions where they inhabit similar forested environments.

Distribution

Beyond their native range in China, Golden Pheasants have established feral populations across the globe, including the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, and North and South America.

Behaviour

Golden Pheasants are ground feeders by day and roost in trees at night. They are known to forage near human settlements in winter and exhibit a preference for running over flying, which they do in short, clumsy bursts.

Song & Calls

The male Golden Pheasant emits a metallic call during the breeding season, which is part of its courtship display.

Breeding

Females lay clutches of 8 to 12 eggs and incubate them for approximately 22-23 days.

Similar Species

The Lady Amherst's pheasant is similar in appearance but can be distinguished by differences in coloration and pattern.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet consists of grain, leaves, and invertebrates. In winter, they often feed on wheat leaves and seeds.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Golden Pheasant as Least Concern, indicating that it currently faces no significant threats to its survival.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Golden Pheasant Fun Facts

Did you know?
Golden Pheasants aren't good flyers and prefer to flee predators by running.

Golden Pheasants on Birda

Sightings

More Pheasants & Allies

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my β€œlists”.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life PokΓ©mon go.
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❀️
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.