Tim writes: Unlike released pheasants in the British countryside, wild pheasants are typically elusive and catching a glimpse of one in the open is difficult enough. This was my first truly wild Lady Amherst’s Pheasant (or White-bellied Golden Pheasant as they call it in China), although I did see several in England during the period that they were resident and supposedly self-sustaining. But the introduced English population has now dwindled to extinction, last seen in Bedfordshire in March 2015.
In the wild, colourful males hold a harem of about twelve females, but this is an immature male, identified by the developing dark plumage on his face.
They are very closely related to Golden Pheasant and the genus Chrysolophos means golden crest, which is not correct for this species. Lady Sarah Amherst was the wife of the Governer General of Bengal, William Pitt Amherst, who sent the first specimen to London in 1828. They have a restricted world range to the hills of southern China and the northernmost part of Myanmar.
I photographed this young male at an elevation of c2500m at Labahe, Sichuan, China. I did see one or two adult males but they typically bolted for cover immediately.
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I discovered a lone male Lady Amherst’s Pheasant at an old site on 1st January of this year so they are still clinging on in Bedfordshire. However, they haven’t been self-sustaining since about 1989
Lee – thanks v much.. That’s interesting to hear.
Came across your website trying to identify the bird in our driveway in North Yorkshire! A beautiful bird. I do not know of anyone nearby that keeps or breeds them, but it appears to be somewhat used to people.