Chrysolophus

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title: "Chrysolophus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chrysolophus", "bird-genera", "taxa-named-by-john-edward-gray"] description: "Genus of birds" topic_path: "general/chrysolophus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysolophus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of birds ::

| image = Male Golden Pheasant DC.jpg | image_caption = Male golden pheasant | taxon = Chrysolophus | authority = J.E. Gray, 1834 | type_species = Phasianus pictus | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = *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. The genus name is from Ancient Greek χρυσολοφος/khrusolophos mening with "golden crest", from χρυσος/khrusos meaning "gold" and λοφος/lophos meaning "crest". The genus now contains two species.

Species

|name= Golden pheasant|binomial=Chrysolophus pictus |image=File:Golden Pheasant, Tangjiahe Nature Reserve, Sichuan.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=|image-caption=Male |image2 =File:Golden Pheasant female RWD3.jpg|image2-caption=Female |authority-name=Linnaeus |authority-year=1758 |authority-not-original=yes |range= Western China, introduced to Canada, the United States, Britain and elsewhere |range-image= |range-image-size=180px |size= |habitat= |hunting= |iucn-status= LC |population= |direction= |subspecies=

|name= Lady Amherst's pheasant|binomial=Chrysolophus amherstiae |image=File:Lady Amherst's pheasant, London.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=|image-caption=Male |image2 =File:Chrysolophus amherstiae - Amherstfasan Henne - Lady Amherst Pheasant.jpg|image2-caption=Female |authority-name=Leadbeater |authority-year= 1829|authority-not-original=yes |range= Tibet and western China |range-image=File:Chrysolophus amherstiae range map.png |range-image-size=180px |size= |habitat= |hunting= |iucn-status= LC |population= |direction= |subspecies=

References

References

1. Gray, John Edward. (1834). ["Illustrations of Indian zoology chiefly selected from the collection of Major-General Harwdwicke, F.R.S."](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/58222061 }} Issued in parts. For the publication dates see: {{ cite journal). Treuttel, Wurtz, Treuttel, Jun. and Richter.
2. (1934). "Check-List of Birds of the World". Harvard University Press.
3. Jobling, James A.. "Chrysolophus". Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
4. (August 2024). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins". International Ornithologists' Union.

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