# Golden Pheasant (*Chrysolophus pictus*) The Golden Pheasant is a colorful bird known for its bright yellow and red feathers. It loves to roam in the forest and is a beautiful sight to see when it spreads its tail. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Rainbow Pheasant ![Golden Pheasant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Golden_Pheasant%252C_Tangjiahe_Nature_Reserve.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jmhullot, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Pheasant%252C_Tangjiahe_Nature_Reserve.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden Pheasant is famous for the male's spectacular plumage, featuring a bright golden crest, a scarlet-red body, and a striking blue-green scalloped cape. Its vibrant colours make it instantly recognizable and distinct from other birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Galliformes - **Family:** Phasianidae - **Genus:** Chrysolophus ## Interesting facts - A female Golden Pheasant can lay up to a dozen eggs in one nest! - Male Golden Pheasants are sometimes called "living rainbows" due to their incredible array of colours! - These pheasants sleep high in trees to stay safe from predators at night. - They don't sing songs; instead, they make sharp "chack-chack" calls. ## Special abilities - **Stealth Master:** Golden Pheasants can disappear quickly into dense undergrowth because their patterned plumage provides excellent camouflage. - **Agile Runner:** Golden Pheasants have strong legs that help them run swiftly through forests to escape predators or forage for food. - **Display Artist:** Golden Pheasants can attract mates by fanning out their vibrant cape and tail feathers during an elaborate courtship dance. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 60-105 cm - **Wingspan:** 65-75 cm - **Weight:** 0.45-0.85 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8-12 - **Incubation:** 22-23 days ## Diet & Feeding These colourful birds are omnivores, munching on seeds, berries, leaves, and tiny insects found on the forest floor. - **Primary Foods:** seeds, berries, leaves, grains, shoots, small insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Goshawk (*Accipiter gentilis*) — Goshawks are aerial predators of pheasants in their range. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Red foxes often prey on ground-dwelling pheasants. - **Eats:** [Sawtooth Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sawtooth-oak) (*Quercus acutissima*) — Pheasants forage for acorns from oak trees. - **Eats:** Wood Ant (*Formica rufa*) — Golden Pheasants eat these ants and their larvae. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Crested](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crested): Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden Pheasant? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Golden Pheasant? 60-105 cm ### What is Golden Pheasant's wingspan? 65-75 cm ### How much does Golden Pheasant weigh? 0.45-0.85 kg ### How long does Golden Pheasant live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Golden Pheasant move? 60 km/h ### What does Golden Pheasant eat? These colourful birds are omnivores, munching on seeds, berries, leaves, and tiny insects found on the forest floor. ### Where is Golden Pheasant usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Tierpark Köthen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-kothen) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Zoo - [Brückenkopf-Park (Jülich)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bruckenkopf-park-julich) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Bunter Garten (Mönchengladbach)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bunter-garten-monchengladbach) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park [View all places to see Golden Pheasant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-pheasant) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Golden Pheasant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-pheasant)