Bird of the Week 5/25 - 5/29

This week’s bird is the: Golden Pheasant

1. The Golden Pheasant goes by a few names, including Rainbow Pheasant and Chinese Pheasant. Its scientific name (Chrysolophus pictus) loosely translates to “painted golden crest” (pretty accurate).

2. This bird is native to the mountains of China, where it is supposedly difficult to see. I really can’t imagine how that’s possible given its painted golden crest, but that’s the word on the street.

3. Due to its glorious visage, this bird has been imported all around the world, where it often has made daring escapes much to the joy of the general public.

4. In some cases, escapees have led to free-living populations, like in Hawaii and England. Although the English population grew into the thousands in the early 1980s, those numbers have declined ever since. The reason remains a mystery.

5. Luckily, back in their native range, the Golden Pheasant may be expanding their range due to climate change, despite hunting and pressure from the pet trade. Hooray!

Have a wonderful week!