Lady Amherst's Pheasant Male

The English name and amherstiae commemorates Sarah Amherst, who was responsible for sending the first specimen of the bird to London in 1828.

 

The Lady Amherst's Pheasant is endemic species to southwestern China

and far northern Myanmar, but has been introduced elsewhere.

The adult male is 100–120 cm in length, its tail accounting for 80 cm of the total length.

 

The male is unmistakable with its nuchal cape which is white black, with a red crest. The long tail is greyish white with black bars and red streaks at the base, the chest and belly are white, the throat is scaled green, the back is dark green, the wings are blue and brown, and the rump is yellow.

 

Despite the male's showy appearance, these birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark forests with thick undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behaviour in the wild.