SCINTILLATING COPPER SYRMATICUS SOEMMERRINGI SCINTILLANS JAPAN, CHINA, FORMOSA, BURMA, & THAILAND

One of five in the Syrmaticus family with subspecies the Scintillating Copper of Japan, China, Formosa, Burma, and Thailand is most striking in and out of breeding season, but very wary of people. The male with his reddish chestnut colors on his head and breast changes to a coppery gold sheen in the sun. With his long tail and the 9 to 14 black and chestnut bars surrounded by buff spotted flecks this remarkable bird has a display much like all the Syrmaticus and does make a short shrill call. They stretch their necks while expanding their feathers to make themselves appear larger and rustle their wings while spreading their tail feathers. The hens resemble each other and are difficult to tell apart, but the Scintillating hen is much lighter than the Ijima hen. They have a reputation of being malevolent meaning the male can get quite combative and hurt his hen. We feel this is caused by the hen not being receptive, either being immature and not ready to lay or not accepting the particular male she is housed with. A separation of a week will make a difference, by placing the hen into an adjoining pen where they can see one another, and then reintroducing the male to the hen this time. This has worked for me on this first year of breeding these spectacular birds in a pen with much undergrowth and cover which is needed for egg laying, but also for protection from the male. The chicks are quite tiny, fragile, and need extra protein with mealworms and hard boiled egg their first few weeks as all other pheasants do. A vitamin electrolyte is needed also. As they grow the young males show their true colors and seem to intimidate many other pheasants, so it is best to keep them separated by placing only one male per pen with other species. They too can be intimidated, kept away from food and water so it is important not to house too many birds of the same species together. They are not for everyone, as they will not display and showoff like many of the other species, having bad habits, and the Coppers prefer not to be seen. Breeding time is another story, he will stand on the highest perch, display and produce his shrill call... Incubation 24-25 Days.