Nature Science

AUTUMN TREASURES: 10 EXTRAORDINARY PHEASANTS

Courtesy of Rainforest Adventures. Impeyan Pheasant.

Turkeys get all the glory around this time of year, but pheasants are incredible Autumn Treasures to consider. With many dozens of varieties, endless color combinations, gorgeous feathers and funky behaviors, we are totally grooving on pheasants right now. Check them out below.

1. IMPEYAN PHEASANT

The Impeyan Pheasant is also commonly known as the Himalayan monal. Not only the national bird of Nepal, this magical looking bird is also the state bird of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, India. This pheasant’s coloring is really out of this world, with hues of any color imaginable, including dazzling hues of gold, orange, red, green, blue.

(Lophophorus impejanus)

2. REEVES PHEASANT

The Reeves’s Pheasant is not only extravagantly patterned, but is also has some of the longest feathers of any bird species!

(Syrmaticus reevesii)

3. GOLDEN PHEASANT

Golden Pheasants, otherwise known as Chinese Pheasants, originally come from the mountainous regions of western China.

Despite the male's awesome feather display, these pheasants are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known about their behaviour in the wild.

(Chrysolophus pictus)

4. PALAWAN PEACOCK PHEASANT

Looks just like a peacock, doesn’t it? But actually, this is a beautiful Palawan peacock-pheasant. It has a long, black beautiful tale and bright metallic green, with hues of blue on the crest, crown, neck and even wings! Their faces are usually speckled in intricate patterns of black and white!

(Polyplectron napoleonis)

5. LADY AMHERST’S PHEASANT

Originating from southwestern China and Tibet, the Lady Amherst’s Pheasant is closely related to the Golden Pheasant. Though they can fly, these pheasants actually prefer to run! They are distinctive with their black and silver colored heads and long, grey tails as well as their bright patterns of blue, yellow, red, and white plumage!

(Chrysolophus amherstiae)

6. SATYR TRAGOPAN PHEASANT

This unusually patterned animal is known as the Satyr Tragopan Pheasant. They tend to live in the heavily wooded areas of the Himalayas. Even stranger, they have inflatable lappets and horns! The males put on an outrageous dance to win their sweethearts.

(Tragopan satyra)

7. BLUE EARED PHEASANT

A unique bird, the Blue Eared Pheasant is not only large (growing up to 3.1 feet long) but also has the most distinguishing crimson red facial skin. The pheasant itself is a dark blue-grey with a deep black crown and long white whisker-like covets! Its tail is long and dark, spotted with bluish grey beautiful feathers, and the legs, matching to the face, are a deep scarlet color.

(Crossoptilon auritum)

8. COMMON PHEASANT

The common pheasant hardly looks common. These beautiful birds are native to Asia but are now found around the world -- commonly. There are about 30 subspecies in five (sometimes six) groups. These can be identified according to the male plumage.

(Phasianus colchicus)

9. MIKADO PHEASANT

The Mikado Pheasant is native to the forest and mountainous regions of Central Taiwan. In fact, it is often accepted as the unofficial bird of Taiwan. It appears on the $1000 bill of the Taiwanese dollar! Mikado Pheasants are known for their long, shiny beautiful tales which can get up to be 70 cm in length!

(Syrmaticus mikado)

10. SWINHOE PHEASANT

Say hello to the Swinhoe Pheasant, a native to Taiwan. The males have beautifully gleaming blue-purple chests, bellies, and rumps, with a white nape. Dabs of red are scattered in patterns on their bodies. The females are brown and less showy -- a typical case with birds.

(Lophura swinhoii)

Read more about Beautiful Autumn Treasures, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 Gorgeous Topaz Treasures Now.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Autumn Treasures in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 11.09.14. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!