Lady Amhersts Pheasants

drivermech · #1 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 05:56 PM

For the last few weeks there has been at least one( there could be more because I have seen a very colourful one and one not so colourful Male Lady Amhersts pheasant in my garden . This is in The Scottish Borders, I thought it might have escaped from somewhere and contacted RSPB in Edinburgh but they showed no interest .

faz · #2 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 06:00 PM

sounds like an escapee are there any wild life parks /zoos nearby any private keepers etc if rspac dont want to know put a ad in local news agents see if any body comes forward

RobS · #3 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 06:05 PM

I would say 100% an escapee. The last population of these 'plastic' residents was in Bucks and is now thought to be on the verge of extinction and only existing by being fed. This is particularly irritating because from the Shell Guide of 1983 there were 263 regulars. I have seen 258 and LAP is one of the 5 I need!

Rob S

RobinP · #4 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 08:01 PM

This one turned up in a Harpenden (Herts) garden in May 2007, fortunately the garden owner is a Herts Birds Club member and took this photo:

Unfortunately it was never seen again after its one day appearance.

Robin

solus · #5 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobS

... and LAP is one of the 5 I need!

Rob S

I doubt you'll get one now!

The BOU has the species in Category C6:
C6 "Former naturalized species – species formerly placed in C1 whose naturalized populations are either no longer self-sustaining or are considered extinct, e.g. Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae."

Apparently even the once-thought-acceptable population in North Wales was in fact regularly helped along by fresh releases by the landowner so wasn't actually "self-sustaining" after all!

So, to the OP: your bird will be "owned" by someone and has either escaped (as in er... run away), or been deliberately released.

RobS · #6 (**permalink**) 23-11-2010, 08:46 AM

Yes I am a bit gutted about that!

Rob S

drivermech · #7 (**permalink**) 23-11-2010, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faz

sounds like an escapee are there any wild life parks /zoos nearby any private keepers etc if rspac dont want to know put a ad in local news agents see if any body comes forward

As I was so surprised by the lack of interest from the RSPB and Scottish Wildfowl Trust,apart from saying how lucky I was to have one of these beautiful birds, I phoned the Lothian And Borders Police and asked if this bird might have escaped from somewhere. I was amazed when the answer was "no there are quite a few in the area "and without me describing it ,he seemed to know all about them.