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Description of the species
The cheer pheasant, also called Wallich’s or chir pheasant (lat. Catreus wallichii), is a member of the pheasant family and the only species in the genus Catreus. The scientific name honors Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich. The head and disheveled crest are dark chestnut, the bare facial skin is bright red, and the chin, throat and lower cheeks are grayish white. The nape, upper back and wings are yellowish brown with four distinct wing bars. Overall coloration is subdued compared with many ornamental pheasants, with buffy gray and ochre tones. The tail has 18 feathers, with much-elongated central rectrices in gray-brown shades. Females are slightly smaller and duller.
Range and habitat
The cheer pheasant occurs in the Himalayan highlands and scrublands of India, Nepal and Pakistan. In India it is recorded mainly in Uttarakhand (Kumaon, Garhwal), Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Kullu, Chamba) and Jammu and Kashmir, and in Pakistan in the Hazara region and northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It typically occupies elevations above about 1,800 m and rises to roughly 3,000 m in summer, using open mountain slopes with shrub cover, meadow edges and cliffy terrain.
Behavior and ecology
This is a mostly terrestrial, rather secretive pheasant. Males are generally monogamous. The species is sensitive to human disturbance and grazing pressure, shifting to steeper, less accessible slopes where activity is frequent.
Breeding
Nesting is concentrated in the summer months and often occurs on steep slopes. Clutches commonly contain 10-11 eggs. Chicks are precocial and quickly mobile.
Status and conservation
Due to habitat loss, small and fragmented populations, and hunting in some areas, the cheer pheasant is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is included in CITES Appendix I. Reintroduction attempts using captive-bred birds have had limited success in parts of its range.
Buy a cheer pheasant: ordering and shipping
You can purchase cheer pheasants from our farm. Delivery across Ukraine. To check availability and delivery, contact us via Viber, Telegram, or by phone 050-182-27-27.
Common questions
Why is the cheer pheasant less colorful than many ornamental pheasants
It is adapted to rocky shrublands and high-altitude grass-shrub mosaics where cryptic buff-gray plumage and a long tail provide camouflage and display advantages, unlike the vivid golds and reds of golden or Lady Amherst’s pheasants.
Can cheer pheasants be housed with other pheasants
Separate sections are recommended, especially during the breeding period, as the species is disturbance-sensitive and may be competitive.
What elevation and climate suit them best
In nature they inhabit roughly 1,800-3,000 m in a cool, relatively dry mountain climate. In captivity provide good ventilation, a dry aviary, and shelter from sun and wind.