Chrysolophus

Chrysolophus
	Male golden pheasant
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Phasianidae
Tribe:	Phasianini
Genus:	Chrysolophus; J.E. Gray, 1834
Type species
	Phasianus pictus; Linnaeus, 1758
Species
	Golden pheasant, C. pictus; Lady Amherst's pheasant, C. amherstiae;

Chrysolophus is a genus of the pheasant family of birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khrusolophos, "with golden crest".

These are species which have spectacularly plumaged males. The golden pheasant is native to western China, and Lady Amherst's pheasant to Tibet and westernmost China, but both have been widely introduced elsewhere. In places where self-supporting feral populations have become established, such as England, the two species will interbreed to produce hybrids.

Despite the male's showy appearance, these birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark, young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behaviour in the wild.

They feed on the ground on grain, leaves and invertebrates, but roost in trees at night. Whilst they can fly, they prefer to run: but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive wing sound.

Taxonomy

The genus Chrysolophus was introduced in a figure caption by the English zoologist John Edward Gray in 1834 for a single species, the golden pheasant (Phasianus pictus Linnaeus, 1758) which is therefore considered as the type species.^[1]^[2] The genus name is from Ancient Greek χρυσολοφος/khrusolophos mening with "golden crest", from χρυσος/khrusos meaning "gold" and λοφος/lophos meaning "crest".^[3] The genus now contains two species.^[4]

Species

Genus **Chrysolophus** – J.E. Gray, 1834 – two species
Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Golden pheasant Male Female	Chrysolophus pictus (Linnaeus, 1758)	Western China, introduced to Canada, the United States, Britain and elsewhere	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Lady Amherst's pheasant Male Female	Chrysolophus amherstiae (Leadbeater, 1829)	Tibet and western China	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC

References

^ Gray, John Edward (1834). Illustrations of Indian zoology chiefly selected from the collection of Major-General Harwdwicke, F.R.S. Vol. 2. London: Treuttel, Wurtz, Treuttel, Jun. and Richter. Plate 41, Fig. 2, Parts 15,16. Issued in parts. For the publication dates see: Wheeler, Alwyne (1998). "Dates of publication of J. E. Gray's Illustrations of Indian Zoology (1830-1835)". Archives of Natural History. 25 (3): 345–354.
^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1934). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 130.
^ Jobling, James A. "Chrysolophus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 15 February 2025.

[1] Gray, John Edward (1834). Illustrations of Indian zoology chiefly selected from the collection of Major-General Harwdwicke, F.R.S. Vol. 2. London: Treuttel, Wurtz, Treuttel, Jun. and Richter. Plate 41, Fig. 2, Parts 15,16. Issued in parts. For the publication dates see: Wheeler, Alwyne (1998). "Dates of publication of J. E. Gray's Illustrations of Indian Zoology (1830-1835)". Archives of Natural History. 25 (3): 345–354.

[2] Peters, James Lee, ed. (1934). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 130.

[3] Jobling, James A. "Chrysolophus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 15 February 2025.

[ioc-4] Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 15 February 2025.

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