Our sunshine pheasant!
The yellow golden, also known as the ghigi's golden, is a popular color mutation of the golden pheasant occurring in captivity. This mutation originated in Italy when the late Professor Alessandro Ghigi was given one male bird in 1952. Initial matings were with a normal hen and normal heterozygous chicks were produced. The heterozygous females were then bred back to the mutant male. By 1955/6 the yellow mutants were breeding true. Today the yellow golden it is a fairly popular and common aviary bird.
Here at Appletons we have a well planted large aviary for our yellow golden pheasants. This helps the brilliant yellow plumage of the males from fading fast in our harsh New Zealand sun. Also it is worth noting that some strains of yellow goldens have a much more intense yellow than others. The yellow golden hens are different in appearance to both the lady amherst and the goldens hens as their plumage is pale yellow all over with barring.
Read our newsletter The breeding season, broody hens and pheasant talk.