Elliots Pheasants

Elliot's Pheasant (Other Names: Chinese Barred-Backed Pheasant, Bar-Backed Pheasant)

Available September-December when available 

• Exhibition/pleasure
• 7-8 Eggs per clutch
• Breeding season March-May 
• Incubation 25 days 
• Easy to tame, can be friendly**males can be agressive with females**
• size up to 3 lbs

Elliot's Pheasants are a beautiful and rare breed of ornamental pheasant. They are easy to tame and can be very friendly. Elliot's Pheasants are named after a famous ornithologist, Daniel Elliot, who died in 1915, and was one of the founders of the American Ornithologists Union. Males are strikingly beautiful, with a bright red ring around each eye, a pale grey head and belly, lovely chestnut brown breast and neck, grey barring on the back, and a grey and brown tail. Males have their full plumage by one year of age but are not fertile until the age of two. Females are generally a bit duller in color with dark brown and grey mottling all over. Juveniles resemble females. Males will grow up to 31 inches in length, females around 20 inches. 

Elliot's Pheasants live in southwest and southeast China. Elliot's Pheasants can be found in subtropical forests at an altitude of 650 - 6200 feet. A dense canopy cover is necessary for successful breeding.

Elliot's Pheasant is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN). There is some conflict regarding the status of Elliot's Pheasants in the wild. Their native habitat is heavily populated by humans, who cut and burn the forests where they live. While there is debate about how much the wild population of Elliot's Pheasants has declined, all experts agree that it is declining. It is illegal in China to hunt Elliot's Pheasants, but it continues and hunting is thought to be one of the factors contributing to the declining number of these birds in the wild.

Housing Requirements: Elliot's Pheasants are very cold hardy. Aviaries must provide plenty of shade. 

Diet: Elliot's Pheasants are omnivores and enjoy a diet of seeds, greens, fruit, grains, and other foods available seasonally.  A commercial diet of game birds, supplemented with as much natural diet as possible is acceptable