Lady Amherst’s pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) is a bird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khrusolophos, “with golden crest”. The English name and amherstiae commemorates Sarah Amherst, who was responsible for sending the first specimen of the bird to London in 1828. Lady Amherst’s pheasant is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to southwestern China and far northern Myanmar, but has been introduced elsewhere. Previously, a self-supporting feral population was established in England, the stronghold of which was in West Bedfordshire. Lady Amherst first introduced the ornamental pheasant on her estates, near the Duke of Bedford’s Woburn Abbey, where the birds were also shot for game and interbred. Although the introduced British populations are believed to have been extinct since 2015, occasional sightings of the species have occurred in subsequent years; a Lady Amherst’s pheasant was photographed in Staplegrove, Taunton in May 2020, and subsequently, in early March 2021, a Lady Amherst’s pheasant was spotted in a garden in Scotland.
Description
The adult male is 100–120 cm (40-48 in.) in length, its tail accounting for 80 cm (31 in) of the total length. It is unmistakable with its nuchal cape white black, with a red crest. The long grey tail and rump is red, blue, dark green, white and yellow plumage. The “cape” can be raised in display. This species is closely related to the golden pheasant (C. pictus), but has a yellow eye, blue-green bare skin around it. The bill is horn-coloured and they had blue-gray legs.
The female is much less showy, with a duller mottled brown plumage all over, similar to that of the female common pheasant (P. colchicus) but with finer barring. She is very like the female golden pheasant, but has a darker head and cleaner underparts than the hen of that species.
Despite the male’s showy appearance, these birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark forests with thick undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behavior in the wild.
Diet and behavior
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. The male emits a metallic call in the breeding season.
Great Tits dominate the other tits. When you see them up close, you gain a greater idea of size and characteristics. Generally, tits have a lifespan of two or three years but they can live for longer.
They are vulnerable at feeders and the risk comes from cats and birds of prey such as Sparrow hawks. There is a delicate balance in nature. A Sparrow hawk may be evidence that the local bird population is doing well.
When you learn more about the birds in your garden, it improves your affinity with them.
Tits are small birds with plain or colorful plumages, stout legs and strong feet and short, triangular bills. Several species have crests.
The Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is common in Britain and one of the first birds to visit the bird table. Its preferred habitat is broad-leaved woodlands. These are highly adaptive birds and a favorite visitor to gardens. They are only 12cm in length and weigh a mere 11 grams. Lifespan is generally 2-3 years but they can survive for longer. In fact, the longest recorded lifespan for a Blue Tit is a staggering 21-years.
Blue Tits are easily distinguishable by its azure blue crown. The forehead is white and underneath, the feathers are a Sulphur color. The shade of these feathers denotes how many caterpillars the birds have eaten. It can be difficult to differentiate between the sexes but the male bird tends to have brighter plumage and the blue on the head is more visible.
Blue Tits are present all year round. If you have Blue Tits visiting your feeders, know that they were probably born nearby. They rarely move far from their place of birth. During the breeding season, Blue Tits lay between 7 and 13 eggs. They may lay repeat clutches but this usually happens if they lose the first brood.
Baby Blue Tits are very demanding. On average, they need to feed on 100 caterpillars a day each. The adult birds have to work extremely hard to sustain this feeding frenzy. They also remove the faecal sacs taking them far away from the nest. This keeps the nest clean but helps to protect the nest site. Young birds are at great risk after fledging so the food you supply is beneficial.
Baby Blue Tit
While they often nest in small holes in trees, they will happily adapt to a bird box in the garden. They start breeding in late April so it is the perfect time to encourage these pretty birds and to provide a suitable breeding box.
They often form mixed flocks with Great Tits and help to control garden pests so can be considered the gardener’s friend. They eat aphids, leaf miner grubs and some moth grubs. The numbers of Blue Tits are increasing. This shows how invaluable it is to provide regular food. Blue Tits love fat balls and seeds. Insects also form a large part of their diet.
The Great Tit
The Great Tit is the largest member of the tit family at 12.5-14cm in length. This bird is quite distinctive. They have a lemon-yellow breast, a blue/black crown, black head, neck and throat. Notice its white cheeks. The feathers on the back are olive-green and you will see a blue-grey tinge to the wings. The males tend to have a more intense coloring than the females.
Great Tits are commonly found in mixed forests and deciduous woodlands. Like the Blue Tit, they are beneficial visitors to your garden as they catch insects, grubs and spiders. Great Tits are found in mixed forests and deciduous woodlands.
Great tits are adaptive and fascinating birds and are regular visitors to the bird table. Sit back and watch their acrobatic antics.
They eat a lot of caterpillars and seeds and berries but hang out fat balls or suet pellets and they will visit regularly. You may even see them cheekily wiping the remnants of fat from their beaks on a nearby branch.
Great Tits usually breed in a tree cavity or wall but they will happily adapt to a bird box. They tend to breed in April and May so will be busy looking for a suitable place to nest. They lay between 5 and 12 eggs. The eggs hatch after two weeks and the young birds will fledge within a three-week period.
Great Tits are well-known mimics and have a wide repertoire of bird songs and sounds. They have learned that by using their alarm call, it scares other birds from the feeders. This gives them the opportunity to feed in peace. They live for approximately 3 years but the oldest Great Tit survived for 13 years.
Long-Tailed Tits
One of the favorite tits to visit British gardens is the delicate Long-Tailed Tit. These are not really part of the tit family despite the name and they relate to several species in Asia. These are noisy, sociable birds and are regulars to the garden. They appear in seemingly-hyperactive flocks as they rarely remain still.
Active feeders, they flit from branch to branch searching for insects and spiders. It is easy to entice them with crushed peanuts, mixed birdseed and suet. You will often see them in flocks of 6-20 birds during the winter months.
It is impossible to not love Long-Tailed Tits. They are incredibly pretty and delicate at just 14cm in length including their long tail. They weigh approximately 9 grams and live for 2 years. With the long black and white tail, these tits are easily distinguishable. They have a pale pink underbelly, and a black, white and pink back.
They are at most risk during the cold winter months. At night, they huddle together to keep warm as they lose energy very quickly due to their small size. During the spring, the groups break up and they go off to breed. This occurs from February onwards and they build a mossy domed nest in the fork of a tree or, in a bush.
Nests are well-camouflaged and they need to be. The birds use lichen and cobwebs and use approximately 1500-feathers to line the nest. They lay eight to twelve eggs which usually hatch after three weeks. Long-Tailed Tits will often have helpers to raise their young. These are usually the birds which have lost their own brood.
The birds fledge quickly in just two weeks. This is important because the nests are often raided by sharp-eyed crows and magpies. This happens even though nest sites are well-camouflaged.
The Coal Tit
The Coal Tit is not as well known as the others but they do still frequent gardens. They are easily mistaken for Marsh or Willow Tits and are the smallest of the tits at 10-11 cm in length.
The coloring of their feathers is less vivid than the Great Tit. The underneath feathers are an off-white. The head, throat and neck feathers are a blue-back. They have visible white cheeks but for ease of identification, look out for the white patch on the back of the head.
Coal Tits nest in holes in the ground often choosing mice burrows. Or they may seek out a tree stump, find a crevice in a wall or, if needed, will take over other birds’ nests. Predators include foxes and cats.
They start breeding in May but usually produce one clutch a year and lay between 7 and 11 eggs. The eggs hatch in two weeks and the young birds fledge two weeks later.
Coal Tits enjoy a diet of suet, sunflower seed hearts. They may hide their food creating a larder for when times are hard. However, they often forget where they have stashed their food. If you see seeds germinating in strange places, this may be the work of the Coal Tit.
The savvy Great Tit capitalizes on the Coal Tit’s stash of food and raids it. Coal Tits often struggle in winter so having a regular food supply helps to sustain them. Their lifespan is 2-years on average.
The Willow Tit
Willow Tits are stocky birds. In size, they are between the Blue Tits and Great Tits. They have a black cap and a matching bib, white cheeks, but the feathers underneath tend to be a buff grey. They are often confused with Marsh Tits, but learn the song and it will be easier to tell the difference.
They nest lower down than many tits preferring rotting deadwood. The size of the entrance hole is important. Willow Tit’s like the hole to be approximately 2-3 inches in diameter. They prefer wetter areas and use alder, birch and willow trees.
They will make use of a garden feeder especially if their chosen food of insects and berries is scarce. The female lays a clutch of six to eight eggs in April. According to the RSPB, Willow Tits are in decline.
There are three main risks:
Predation by Great Spotted Woodpeckers
Competition for nest holes as Great Tits can oust the young birds when the nest site is found
Their habitat is becoming less available
The lifespan of the Willow Tit is approximately 3 years.
Marsh Tits
The Marsh Tit is very like the Willow Tit. In fact, ornithologists did not realize they were a different species at first. They have a shiny black cap and black bib and the feathers underneath are pale. Marsh Tits prefer broadleaf woodlands, parks and gardens and are less likely to live in the damp areas usually chosen by the Willow Tit.
They live on insects, berries and seeds and, similar to the Coal Tit, may try to store food for times of need. They nest in holes and trees, but do not excavate their own nest holes. They lay seven to nine eggs. If you live close to a woodland area, you can attract these birds into your garden. Display fat balls, sunflower seeds or crushed peanuts.
Not sure if you have Willow Tits or Marsh Tits? Listen to the bird song. If you hear a sneezing sound, you have a Marsh Tit.
The Crested Tit
If you live in Scotland and close to any coniferous forests, you may well see the beautiful Crested Tit. It is a distinctive bird, and easily recognizable with its peaked tuft on the top of its head. With a short thin beak, the feathers on the head are black and white and on the wings, they are brown and black. Underneath, the feathers are a buff color.
They are 11.5 cm in length and weigh 10-13 grams. The population has grown in recent years due to the increase of pine plantations. They do prefer ancient plantations but are adapting. Crested Tits feed on invertebrates and pine seeds and will also feed on moth larvae and caterpillars.
The population of Crested Tits is restricted to Scotland. They will visit bird tables in nearby gardens and are partial to suet-based foods. They especially enjoy those with mealworms or insects.
Encouraging tits to the garden
To encourage the tit family of birds into your garden, put out quality food regularly. All birds become used to this regular supply and will rely on it. In addition to bird food, try to make the garden as natural as possible. Plant with nature in mind.
Your garden, whether large or small, can benefit nature. Aim to create an eco-environment which means encouraging insects, mammals and birds. Create a natural pond, an insect home or a log pile. Try adding some of these flowers to your borders or grow in pots. Try Ox-eye daisy, harebells, red clover, chamomile, wild thyme or bulbous buttercup.
Summary
As you learn more about these birds, it becomes easier to create the right habitat for them. Remember that all garden birds are vulnerable at key times of the year. You can help to sustain their population. Create the right environment for them and the birds will come.
The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), is one of Britain’s most brightly colored and interesting birds.
Kingfishers are widespread, especially in central and southern England, becoming less common further north, however, following some declines last century, they are currently increasing in their range in Scotland.
Kingfishers are found by still or slow flowing water such as lakes, canals and rivers in lowland areas. In winter, some individuals move to estuaries and the coast. Occasionally they may visit suitably sized garden ponds.
The number of breeding pairs in the UK is 6,100 (4,400 in Britain and 1,700 in Ireland).
KINGFISHER DESCRIPTION
Kingfisher
Common Kingfishers measure 17 – 19 centimeters in length, weigh between 34 – 46 grams and have a wingspan of 25 centimeters. Their beak is around 4 centimeters long and pointed. Kingfishers have short, orange colored legs. Kingfishers are very brightly colored. The color of their wings is a blue/green color and their upperparts, rump and tail are a bright blue color. Their underparts are bright orange and they have a small, white bib underneath their beaks, on their throats.
The kingfishers head is blue with orange marks in front and behind the birds eyes and a white mark on each side of the head. These bright, beautiful colors are more apparent when the bird is in flight.
Male kingfishers and female kingfishers are are almost identical except for an orange coloration with a black tip on the lower part of the females beak/mandibles. Young kingfishers are similar to the adults in appearance, however, they have duller and greener upperparts, paler underparts, black beak and initially, black legs.
Kingfishers have very keen eyesight. The kingfisher has monocular vision (in which each eye is used separately) in the air and binocular vision (in which both eyes are used together) in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in the air, however, the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
The Common kingfisher has no particular song, however, they vocalize using a shrill ‘tsee’ or ‘tsee-tsee’ call. Their flight call is a short sharp whistle, chee, repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
KINGFISHER HABITATS
In temperate regions, kingfishers inhabit clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers and lakes with well-vegetated banks. Kingfishers are often found in scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter, the kingfisher is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores.
KINGFISHER DIET
Kingfisher eating Kingfishers feed on aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles and small fish ranging from 1 inch to 5 inches long, such as sticklebacks, minnows, small roach and trout. About 60% of food items are fish. In winter, kingfishers feed up on crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. The Common Kingfisher hunts from a perch 1 – 2 metres (3 – 6 feet) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank with its beak pointing downwards as it searches for prey.
The Kingfisher bird bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance and plunges steeply down to grab its prey usually no deeper than 25 centimeters (19 inches) below the surface of the water.
The wings are opened under water and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
KINGFISHER BEHAVIOUR
Like all kingfishers, the Common Kingfisher is highly territorial. Since it must eat around 60% of its body weight each day, it is essential to have control over a suitable stretch of river. It is solitary for most of the year, roosting alone in heavy cover. If another kingfisher enters its territory, both birds ‘display’ from perches and fights may occur. One bird will grab the others beak and try to hold it under water. Pairs form in the autumn but each bird retains a separate territory, generally at least 1 kilometer long.
KINGFISHER REPRODUCTION
Kingfisher courtship occurs in spring. The male will approach the female with a fish in his beak. He will hold it so that the head of the fish is facing outwards and attempt to feed it to the female. If he is unsuccessful he will simply eat the fish himself. He may have to repeat this feeding behavior for some time before mating occurs. Kingfishers make burrows in sandy riverbanks. The burrow consists of a horizontal tunnel with a nesting chamber at the end and are usually about a meter long.
The female lays about 5 or 7 white, glossy eggs but sometimes will lay up to 10 eggs. The eggs average 1.9 centimeters in breadth, 2.2 centimeters in length and weigh about 4.3 grams, of which 50% is shell. The male and the female share the job of incubating the eggs for about 20 days. Both incubate by day, however, only the female kingfisher incubates by night. The eggs hatch in 19 – 20 days and the young remain in the nest for a further 24 – 25 days, sometimes longer. Once large enough, young birds will come to the burrow entrance to be fed. Two to three broods may be reared in a season.
During the breeding season, kingfishers can often be seen hunting around the deep pools that form in the bends of rivers. These locations are rich in the young fish that the kingfishers feed to their young. A hungry brood of a Kingfisher can demand over 100 fish a day from their parents.
The early days for the young kingfishers are the most dangerous. About four days after leaving the nests, the fledglings will take their first dives into the water to find prey. Unfortunately, those who will not have learned how to fish by this time may become waterlogged and drown. About only half survive more than a week or two.
Very few birds live longer than one breeding season. The oldest kingfisher on record was 21 years of age.
KINGFISHER CONSERVATION STATUS
Kingfishers are very sensitive to cold weather and a particularly harsh winter can seriously reduce kingfisher populations. Kingfisher populations fluctuate greatly because of this. However, they are not listed by the IUCN Red List.
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