But we do know that males use their bright plumage to attract hens through a spectacular group display known as lekking. However, being a shy and skulking bird, it’s more often heard than seen and very little is known of its life in the wild. The male Golden Pheasant is one of the world’s most striking gamebirds. Fugui knew the hillsides around Wolong contained a species that was prized by bird photographers but has increasingly come under pressure because of the removal of scrub and cover vegetation – the Golden Pheasant. Into the story steps Wan Fugui, a Wolong local who closely relates to the traditional values of the area and, through his experiences working with both local and international conservation agencies, also appreciates the importance of protecting and preserving Wolong, not only as natural habitat but also as a sustainable ecological resource for locals and visitors alike. Wolong is already the hotel base for the bird watching mecca of Balang Mountain – the bird photographers are here, but how to find a local landowner who was willing to take part in this project? We quickly concluded that establishing bird hides for the use of the ever-growing army of Chinese bird photographers would be an ideal answer. Our goal has been to establish a sustainable industry that equally benefits locals and wildlife and counters the wildlife negative advances of intensive agriculture. Gone are the days when it was just goats, yak and a vegetable garden to feed the family – now hillside terraces and pasture, home to a rich array of local wildlife, are being cleared in an intensification of agriculture – establishing plum orchards, giving an easy to manage cash crop and far better income Times are changing fast at Wolong, with hill farmers taking full advantage of the new infrastructure and resultant tourist traffic that now floods the area. In the past, remote and difficult to reach, visitors were few, but today new road connections, now mean a quick and easy connection with the huge urban population of nearby Chengdu and the rest of Modern China. The inhabitants, who have a Tibetan heritage traditionally farmed the valleys and grazed the high grasslands with their yak and goats. Wolong is a Sichuan village located in the very heart of China’s largest Giant Panda Conservation area – the Wolong National Nature Reserve, home to the largest concentration of wild Giant Pandas in China. See our YouTube Video - Golden Pheasants January 2021 The species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meaning international export/import (including in parts and derivatives such as feathers) requires CITES documentation to be obtained and presented to border authorities.See Part 2 of the Golden Pheasant Project - Here ![]() There are thought to be only around 2000 birds remaining in the wild. ![]() They are fairly common in aviculture.ĭue to ongoing habitat loss, and overhunting for food and its tail plumes, the Reeves's pheasant is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ![]() Their diet is vegetable matter, including seeds and cereals. Their call is unlike other game birds in that it is a musical warble, sounding more passerine than a galliform bird. Reeves's pheasants are often aggressive towards humans, animals, and other pheasants, particularly during the breeding season. The female lays a clutch of 7–14 eggs in April or May the incubation period is 24–25 days. The Reeves's pheasant is a hardy bird and is able to tolerate both hot and cold weather. Male Reeves's pheasant, green pheasant, Lady Amherst's pheasant and golden pheasant (front to back).
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