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Chrysolophus pictus


Chrysolophus pictus
Photo Information
Copyright: Annick Vanderschelden (vanderschelden) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2712 W: 78 N: 7405] (30147)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-09-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 350D (Digital Rebel XT)
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-10-05 6:49
Viewed: 1093
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Golden Pheasant or Chinese Pheasant, (Chrysolophus pictus) is a gamebird of the order Galliformes (gallinaceous birds) and the family Phasianidae. It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

The adult male is 90-105 cm in length, its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length. It is unmistakable with its golden crest and rump and bright red body. The deep orange "cape" can be spread in display, appearing as an alternating black and orange fan that covers all of the face except its bright yellow eye, with a pinpoint black pupil.

Males have a golden-yellow crest with a hint of red at the tip. The face, throat, chin, and the sides of neck are rusty tan. The wattles and orbital skin are both yellow in colour, and the ruff or cape is light orange. The upper back is green and the rest of the back and rump are golden-yellow in colour. The tertiaries are blue whereas the scapulars are dark red. Another characteristic of the male plumage is the central tail feathers which are black spotted with cinnamon as well as the tip of the tail being a cinnamon buff. The upper tail coverts are the same colour as the central tail feathers. Males also have a scarlet breast, and scarlet and light chestnut flanks and underparts.

The female (hen) is much less showy, with a duller mottled brown plumage similar to that of the female Common Pheasant. She is darker and more slender than the hen of that species, with a proportionately longer tail (half her 60-80 cm length). The female's breast and sides are barred buff and blackish brown, and the abdomen is plain buff. She has a buff face and throat.

Both males and females have yellow legs and yellow bills.

Despite the male's showy appearance, these hardy birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behaviour in the wild.

They feed on the ground on grain, leaves and invertebrates, but roost in trees at night. Whilst they can fly, they prefer to run: but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive wing sound.

Although they can fly in short bursts they are quite clumsy in flight and spend most of their time on the ground. Golden Pheasants lay 8-12 eggs at a time and will then incubate these for around 22-23 days. They tend to eat berries, grubs, seeds and other types of vegetation.

Shooting Mode
Shutter-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/250
Av( Aperture Value )
2.8
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
200

No flash, handheld.

PP in PS CS2 usual stuff
valy67, greenpinkorange, scottevers7, horia, mikou, marhowie, RAP, elefantino, izler, dew77, Valf has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To metcher: Hello..vanderschelden 1 10-07 04:48
To greenpinkorange: a graduation portrait?:-)vanderschelden 1 10-05 16:12
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Annick !
What a wonderful bird, with all these beautiful colors ! And you have captured it so nicely ! Details, composiztion and DOF are splendid, and I love the blurred BG. The simple white frame is also very beautiful. very well done !
Valerie.

Hi Annick,
I guess I really like those Galliformes birds; I am always amazed by their colors and shape. This one really looks like a painting, wow! This is a very, very good portrait of this colorful animal. Even if those details are very sharp, there is something smooth about it that I like a lot. This composition is really good and it is a picture that I will put right away in my favorite! Congratulations and thanks!
Claudine

When u say Gold, this really is Gold! Very very nice colors! amazing Details. I really like this picture! Reminded me of a graduation portrait for some reason!
Wow. Thanks for sharing.
STeph

Hi Annick,
A beautiful portrait shot on this Golden Pheasant. The colors and detail in this are very good. A perfect OOF backround shows the bird very well. This looks excellent!
scott

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2175 W: 221 N: 4385] (14914)
  • [2006-10-05 7:56]

This is so punk-rock! Yeah! :))))))))))))
A really beutiful protrait, Annick!
The colors are sueprb, the BG excelletn, the POV very good and the details crispy clear!
A very nice and complete note, as well.
Great work!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • mikou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 840 W: 67 N: 1311] (5269)
  • [2006-10-05 8:18]

Hi Annick.
Excellent portrait.Perfect POV and very nice details-primarily eye as well as single featherlet show through!Colours is really beautiful.The good select background general impression exponentiate.Well done.Thank very much for sharing.

Greetings Milos

Cool portrait, Annick.
TFS
Ralf

Excellent work Annick,
Lovely bold eye catching colors. Well composed and a very nice POV..
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-10-05 9:51]

Parece un pintura a mano Annick... realmente.
La belleza del ave con ese colorido maravilloso y el foco que aparenta ser soft por la textura del plumaje produce un efecto sensacional, como si en vez de una foto, se tratara de un dibujo de un gran artista.
Excelente captura con perfecto fondo y composición.
Cordiales saludos... Ricardo

It seems a hand painting Annick... really.
The beauty of the bird with that wonderful coloring and the focus that it feigns to be soft for the texture of the plumage produces a sensational effect, as if instead of a picture, it was of a drawing of a great artist.
Excellent capture with perfect background and composition.
Regards... Ricardo

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2006-10-05 10:04]

Hi Annick,

Very colorfull composed portrait,well done in all details TFS

Paul

Amazing colors and details on this beautifull bird.
Excellent crop and presentation.
Andrea

  • Great 
  • DOBIS Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 126 W: 16 N: 170] (632)
  • [2006-10-05 11:40]

Hello Annick!
Wonderfull portrait of the pheasant. Very nice colours and capture of the pose. Perfectly contrasting bg.

TFS
Dobis

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 1399 W: 3 N: 30] (520)
  • [2006-10-05 12:19]

hi annick
i am learning more informations and details about variety of nature via this website. your photo is good sample. point of view, background, depth of field, colours, focus, sharpness and details are great. your note is useful also.
thanks for sharing
greetings
izler

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-10-05 13:07]

Hello Annick , Een schitterend portret van deze vogel ,prachtige kleuren mooi licht details de pose hij ging er helemaal voor staan ,mooi gedaan ,groeten teunie .

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-10-05 14:49]

Hello Annick,
Wonderful portrait of golden pheasant.POV,vivid colors,simple BG,clear eyes and composition are excellent.
TFS...:-)

Hi Annick.

I agree with the other members. What can I say? It looks like a piece of art. Like Ricardo commented at first sight I thought it as a hand-made painting.

Well Done & TFS.

  • Great 
  • Valf Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 66 W: 0 N: 120] (522)
  • [2006-10-06 22:07]

Hi Annick,
Very nice portrait of this bird, the colors are wonderful. TFS.
Regards, Francois

  •      
  • metcher Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 513 W: 12 N: 986] (4258)
  • [2006-10-07 4:23]
  • [+]

Hi, Annick.
Great portrait. Very good crop. Tack sharp. Nice BG. Details are a little bit in shadow. Maybe filling flash or shadow/highlights in PS.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2006-10-07 14:08]

Hi Annick,
A perfect portrait of one of the bird with more beautiful feathers. Colors, posture, details and composition are outstanding.
TFS, José M.

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