Reeves’s pheasant

After a disruptive morning, which is best left without further elaboration, my daily exercise took place in the dwindling daylight. So here is a photo of an unusual pheasant we came across earlier in the week.

According to Google, it is a Reeves’s pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii). The bird was introduced on these shores in the 19th century courtesy of a certain John Reeve, a British naturalist. It is a native of northern China, where it is currently an endangered species. Notably, this cock exhibited less timidity compared with its common pheasant cousins, displaying a rather audacious demeanour. More cocky, you could say.

Reportedly, the act of shooting a Reeves’s pheasant can incur a fine¹Field, The. 2016. ‘Reeves’s Pheasant: A High Flyer and Hefty Fine – the Field’, The Field (The Field) <https://www.thefield.co.uk/shooting/reevess-pheasant-a-high-flyer-and-hefty-fine-31149> [accessed 15 December 2023]. However, the term ‘can’ in this context seems less than optimal, as the logistics of enforcing such a regulation appear questionable. The distinguishing feature of this bird lies in its exceptionally lengthy tail, measuring an impressive 6 feet or more, ostensibly simplifying identification during flight. This claim, though, raises scepticism in the midst of a fervent shooting session, where the surge of adrenaline may override the inclination to withhold gunfire based on tail length.

It is worth noting that these long tail feathers are used in traditional Chinese opera, a demand contributing to the bird’s regrettable decline.

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  Field, The. 2016. ‘Reeves’s Pheasant: A High Flyer and Hefty Fine – the Field’, The Field (The Field) <https://www.thefield.co.uk/shooting/reevess-pheasant-a-high-flyer-and-hefty-fine-31149> [accessed 15 December 2023]