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Description
When: June 18, 2017
Where: BestZOO Best, The Netherlands
We anticipated seeing young Golden Pheasants, but when we arrived, they were fairly juvenile in looks and size. But then, this female was perched on the other (far slimmer) side of the aviary. She seemed intent on not moving, huddled in really close - and that's when a little head popped out. She was hiding teeny-tiny, super small chicks beneath her!
I kept my distance so as not to disturb her, but I wanted to get that cute, curious chick looking out from behind his mother's plumage. Unfortunately, she was startled by more visitors who didn't really care about her perch and were yelling, running and making a nuisance of themselves. She actually moved off her nest, leaving her chicks exposed. Don't worry, she stayed real close, keeping an eye on her babies
Turned out, there were actually 2 chicks out, with 2 remaining eggs. One of the babies was actually still a little bit wet-looking, as if he'd struggled his way out of the shell still lying there, only hours before. The chicks didn't know what to do without their mother's downy belly and chest to take cover under and were running as fast as those spindly legs would carry them.
We alarmed the zoo keepers that the chicks had hatched (they didn't know it yet) and because of their small size and the open aviary with also larger birds, they were moved to grow a little larger in a safer place

Species: Golden or Chinese Pheasant (Goudfazant)

Latin name: Chrysolophus Pictus

Originates from western China, but feral populations have been established in Europe and both North and South America.

Current status: Least Concern

Did you know:

…Golden Pheasants are gallinaceous birds; meaning they belong to a family of birds that are commonly hunted.

…Though popular gamebirds – especially the males with their colorful plumage – they are hardy birds that are rather difficult to see in their natural habitat. Even the male with his showy appearance blends in well between the dense, dark, young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Little is actually known of their behavior in the wild.

© Me

I love it when you love my work, but please, if you want to use it in any other medium, ask my permission first.

To see more Bird photos, check out my gallery

Description
When: June 18, 2017
Where: BestZOO Best, The Netherlands
We anticipated seeing young Golden Pheasants, but when we arrived, they were fairly juvenile in looks and size. But then, this female was perched on the other (far slimmer) side of the aviary. She seemed intent on not moving, huddled in really close - and that's when a little head popped out. She was hiding teeny-tiny, super small chicks beneath her!
I kept my distance so as not to disturb her, but I wanted to get that cute, curious chick looking out from behind his mother's plumage. Unfortunately, she was startled by more visitors who didn't really care about her perch and were yelling, running and making a nuisance of themselves. She actually moved off her nest, leaving her chicks exposed. Don't worry, she stayed real close, keeping an eye on her babies
Turned out, there were actually 2 chicks out, with 2 remaining eggs. One of the babies was actually still a little bit wet-looking, as if he'd struggled his way out of the shell still lying there, only hours before. The chicks didn't know what to do without their mother's downy belly and chest to take cover under and were running as fast as those spindly legs would carry them.
We alarmed the zoo keepers that the chicks had hatched (they didn't know it yet) and because of their small size and the open aviary with also larger birds, they were moved to grow a little larger in a safer place

Species: Golden or Chinese Pheasant (Goudfazant)

Latin name: Chrysolophus Pictus

Originates from western China, but feral populations have been established in Europe and both North and South America.

Current status: Least Concern

Did you know:

…Golden Pheasants are gallinaceous birds; meaning they belong to a family of birds that are commonly hunted.

…Though popular gamebirds – especially the males with their colorful plumage – they are hardy birds that are rather difficult to see in their natural habitat. Even the male with his showy appearance blends in well between the dense, dark, young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Little is actually known of their behavior in the wild.

© Me

I love it when you love my work, but please, if you want to use it in any other medium, ask my permission first.

To see more Bird photos, check out my gallery