Source: Wikimedia Commons
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
IntermediateChrysolophus amherstiae
The male is boldly marked in green and white, and more than half of its 1.2 to 1.5 m length is tail. A red crest and a ruff of white and black feathers hanging like the neck guard of a helmet identify it. The female is 50 to 70 cm and plain brown.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
15〜30℃
Lifespan
15-20 years
Size
1.2-1.5m (male) / 50-70cm (female)
Humidity
40〜60%
Diet
Pheasant feed, grain, greens, fruit and insects
About
Lady Amherst's pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) ranges from south-western China through south-eastern Tibet to northern Myanmar. The genus name is Ancient Greek for golden-crested, while the specific epithet and the English name commemorate Countess Sarah Amherst, who sent the first specimen to London in 1828. The male is large, 1.2 to 1.5 m long with more than half of that the tail, and is boldly marked in green and white, with a red crest and a ruff of white and black feathers hanging around the neck like the neck guard of a Japanese helmet. The female is 50 to 70 cm and, like other pheasants, is a plain reddish brown barred with black. In its native range it lives in montane forest, bamboo jungle and scrub at altitudes reaching 4,500 m. It was introduced to England from 1890 and a self-supporting feral population held on, chiefly in west Bedfordshire, but the British birds are believed to have died out since 2015. While established in England it interbred extensively with the golden pheasant.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Lady Amherst's Pheasant
The Lady Amherst's Pheasant lives 15-20 years.
Size of the Lady Amherst's Pheasant
The Lady Amherst's Pheasant grows to 1.2-1.5m (male) / 50-70cm (female).
Basic Info
Origin
South-western China, south-eastern Tibet and northern Myanmar
Lifespan
15-20 years
Size
1.2-1.5m (male) / 50-70cm (female)
Care Specifications
Semi-aggressiveGroupBreeding: Moderate
Sources: Wikipedia - Lady Amherst's pheasant (origin of the names, range, British introduction and hybridisation) / Japanese Wikipedia - Ginkei (length of both sexes, morphology, range, habitat, hybrids with the golden pheasant) / German Wikipedia - Diamantfasan (habitat, up to 4,500 m, introduction to England from 1890) / IOC World Bird List v15.2 (scientific name, authority, English name, range)
References & Sources
Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team
The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.
Primary sources
- Wikipedia
- CITES Appendices (Chrysolophus amherstiae not listed)
- Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20)
- Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds)
- IUCN Red List
- Japanese Wikipedia - Ginkei (length of both sexes, morphology, range, habitat, hybrids with the golden pheasant)
- German Wikipedia - Diamantfasan (habitat, up to 4,500 m, introduction to England from 1890)
- IOC World Bird List v15.2 (scientific name, authority, English name, range)
- GBIF
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Chrysolophus amherstiae (Leadbeater, 1829)
Synonyms: Phasianus amherstiae
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listedIUCN LC · Least Concern
Chrysolophus amherstiae belongs to the family Phasianidae but appears in none of the CITES Appendices; within the family the grey junglefowl Gallus sonneratii and the green peafowl Pavo muticus are in Appendix II. It is not designated an Invasive Alien Species in Japan. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern.
Sources: CITES Appendices (Chrysolophus amherstiae not listed) / Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20) / Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds) / IUCN Red List
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Lady Amherst's Pheasant Listings
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