Fun Cheer Pheasant Facts For Kids
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Have you wanted to know about rare birds like the umbrellabird? If yes, you will surely like to learn about the cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii) that hails from southern Asia. This bird is also known as Wallich's pheasant.
You can find it in countries like India, Nepal, Kashmir, and Pakistan where the bird lives in the Himalayan regions. It prefers a grassy, high-altitude habitat. Unlike other pheasants, the cheer or Wallich's pheasant may look a little dull, but it has beautiful and bright red periorbital skin.
These birds are great at foraging for food and can search deep into the ground looking for seeds. Unfortunately, the number of these birds is dwindling, and only a handful of are left in the wild.
Most re-introductions and breeding practices have failed to increase its population. Hence, this is a good time to learn more cheer pheasant facts about this great bird.
Also, check out our articles on the willet and umbrellabird to discover new animals!
Cheer Pheasant Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a cheer pheasant?
The cheer pheasant is a type of bird belonging to the Phasianidae family. This family also contains the popular golden pheasant.
What class of animal does a cheer pheasant belong to?
The cheer pheasant belongs to the class Aves and to the genus Catreus.
How many cheer pheasants are there in the world?
According to the IUCN Red List, approximately only 2,000-2,700 mature individuals are present in this world.
Where does a cheer pheasant live?
When you have a look at the cheer pheasant range map, its population is mainly concentrated in places near the Himalayas. You can find cheer pheasants in India, Nepal, Kashmir, and Pakistan. India's Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh is known to have a population of these birds.
What is a cheer pheasant’s habitat?
Cheer pheasants are birds that like to live in rugged areas. During the summer season, you can find these birds in areas situated at an altitude of up to 10,000 ft (3048 m).
These pheasants of Nepal prefer to live on higher grounds compared to that of India. Most birds are found foraging through highlands and scrublands. Some birds are also seen in mixed oak areas.
Who do cheer pheasants live with?
Cheer pheasants are known to live in parties of up to 15 birds. They are seen foraging together for food, navigating through the highlands.
How long does a cheer pheasant live?
Even though we aren't aware of the exact lifespan of a cheer pheasant, pheasants generally can live until they are three years old when present in the wild.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season for this species is between late April to June. This species is known for forming monogamous pairs while breeding, and the birds often nest in craggy and rocky cliffs as well as in precipitous areas.
The female lays about eight to 10 yellowish-gray eggs, but some may even lay up to 12 eggs. Both parents tend to the eggs, though the female is the only one to sit on them for up to 26 days. Juvenile cheer pheasant feathers are chocolate brown on the top.
These chicks will reach sexual maturity one year after birth. When breeding in captivity, the chicks of this species have a low mortality rate.
What is their conservation status?
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this pheasant currently holds the status of being Vulnerable. People used to hunt cheer pheasant for meat, especially when the birds were found in groups. This species is currently protected in the countries where it is found.
Cheer Pheasant Fun Facts
What do cheer pheasants look like?
The cheer pheasant is not as colorful as some other pheasant species, and the females have a duller plumage compared to that of a male bird. Apart from the crown-like crest on the head, these birds also have a long tail.
The tail contains 18 feathers and the central feather is longer. Black markings on feathers are also present on the bird's body in a more uneven pattern.
More brown feathers are found on the female compared to the male, which has a more pale gray body. The most striking thing about this bird is the exposed periorbital skin that is bright red or crimson red in color.
Its bill is often pale gray and is similar to its feet. It's often said that the cheer pheasant looks similar to the koklass pheasant except for the latter's brightly colored head.
How cute are they?
The cheer pheasant looks majestic, however this bird isn't as cute as other birds due to its exposed skin around its eye.
How do they communicate?
The cheer pheasant is a noisy species and it is known for making the iconic 'chir-a-pir chir-a-pir chir chir-chirwa chirwa' call. These calls are usually made rhythmically at the time of dusk and dawn. Cheer pheasants often make these calls in a chorus making the birds quite loud.
How big is a cheer pheasant?
The average size of a cheer pheasant is around 24-46.4 in (61-118 cm) and the majority of its length comes from its long and beautiful tail. Compared to a cheer pheasant, the argus pheasant is a much bigger species. The male cheer pheasant tends to be larger than female cheer pheasants.
How fast can a cheer pheasant fly?
Though we don't know about the exact speed of a cheer pheasant, pheasants, in general, have a flight speed of 38-48 mph (61-77 kph). These birds can only fly for short distances, so they mostly prefer to run. The fastest bird is considered to be the peregrine falcon.
How much does a cheer pheasant weigh?
The average weight of a cheer pheasant is around 1.9-3.9 lb (0.9-1.8 kg) and male pheasants weigh more than the females.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Like many other birds, a cheer pheasant male is called a cock while a female is called a hen.
What would you call a baby cheer pheasant?
A baby cheer pheasant is called a chick.
What do they eat?
Cheer pheasants are mostly interested in eating roots, tubers, bulbs, and buried seeds. These birds search for food by digging through the dirt with their claws, and it's often quite deep. This bird may also feed on insect larvae and earthworms.
Are they predators?
Cheer pheasants cannot be classed as predators as they rarely attack other animals. They only prey on insect larvae and earthworms.
Would they make a good pet?
No, you cannot keep the cheer pheasant as a pet as it is a Vulnerable species.
Did you know...
The cheer pheasant is the only species present in the genus Catreus.
In Chail, Himachal Pradesh, an exclusive breeding center for cheer pheasants has been created by the State Forest Department of Himachal Pradesh.
How smart are cheer pheasants?
Even though we do not know a lot about the scientific studies done on this bird's smartness, pheasants are actually quite intelligent. Cheer pheasants can navigate through some of the roughest terrains foraging for food.
It takes good care of its chicks as parents and manages to keep the chicks safe even after breeding and building nests in steep cliffs.
How high can they fly?
We do not have much information about the height at which a cheer pheasant may fly.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our dickcissel facts and tricolored heron facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable cheer pheasant coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
Bachelor of Arts specializing in English Literature, Masters of Art specializing in English and Communication Skills
Sonali RawatBachelor of Arts specializing in English Literature, Masters of Art specializing in English and Communication Skills
Sonali has a Bachelor's degree in English literature from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and is currently pursuing a Master's in English and Communication from Christ University. With considerable experience in writing about lifestyle topics, including travel and health, she has a passion for Japanese culture, especially fashion, and anime, and has written on the subject before. Sonali has event managed a creative-writing festival and coordinated a student magazine at her university. Her favorite authors are Toni Morrison and Anita Desai.
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