The Elliot`s pheasant Syrmaticus ellioti
The head and neck of this species are pale grey, bare facial skin is bright-red, the chin, throat and the fore-neck are black; the crop area, upper breast, back, and wing coverts are copper-red with a golden tint. The wings are barred with dark-blue and white. Lower back and rump feathers are black with white edges, underparts are white, flanks are chestnut with broad white tips. The tail has broad bars of pale grey and rufous chestnut. The bill is horny yellow; the legs are grey, with long thin spurs. The male’s body length is 80 cm, the length of the tail is 39–40 cm. Females have body length of 50 cm, with the tail measuring 17–19 cm in length. The dominant body colour of the female is greyish-fulvous, with white belly, grey neck and black barred throat and upper breast.
The species dwell in the south-eastern China where its numbers are quite low. Elliot`s pheasants are found in ferny bamboo groves, feeding on tender plant shoots, fruit, seeds, and insects. These birds were first brought to Europe in 1874, and are now bred in captivity; about 1/3 of the world population is kept in the zoos. Elliot’s pheasants are very timid, even with people who take care of them. The females lay eggs in March through April. The chicks develop fast, starting to fly soon. The moulting period in this species starts earlier than in other members of the group and lasts until late August.
