The golden pheasant Chrysolophus pictus
The golden pheasant is found in the forests and thickets of plants in China. The plumage of male pheasants is a remarkable combination of bright red, green, blue, and yellow of different shades. The male has a very broad tail, with black central feathers spotted in cinnamon and small cinnamon buff side feathers. The life of this species in the wild is typical for all pheasants. The golden pheasant lives mostly on the ground, being reluctant to fly. The birds live in pairs or singly, are very cautious, and in dangerous situations quickly run to hide in dense vegetation. A nest is built also on the ground and looks like a small scrape lined with plant materials. The female golden pheasants lay 5 to 15 eggs, incubating them for 22 days. The female incubates very consistently, leaving her nest only for short periods of time to feed. The golden pheasants mostly eat plant food, seeds, and green parts of plants, but also insects, which are essential for chicks that stay with the mother but feed independently.
