In their native habitat, these birds may be found at the junction of China, Tibet and Burma; in northwest Yunnan to altitudes of 15,000 feet, while in northwest Burma to 8,000 feet (Smythies 1986). The species was named in honor of Countess Lady Sarah Amherst (1762-1838), wife of William Pitt Amherst, Governor General of India from 1823-1828 (Gotch 1981). Lord Amherst was responsible for sending the first specimen to London in 1828. The bird did not survive the journey, but the ornithologist Leadbeater nevertheless used the specimen for his official description in 1829. In July 1869, the first live specimens successfully reached London.

Good quality feathers from the Amherst pheasant tail and head are essential materials for the salmon fly tier. Lady Amherst Pheasant tails are similar in shape to Golden Pheasant tails but in coloration they are black and white instead of black and brown. Sections from tail feathers, while not commonly used in British patterns, are fairly common in Canadian and Norwegian patterns. Patterns using these fiber sections include Black Dog, Lady Amherst, Bonne Bouche, Champion, Hempseed and Silver Grey.

The head of the Lady Amherst Pheasant contains valuable crests (toppings) and ruff feathers (tippets). Toppings are crimson and have been called for in William Blacker's Spirit Fly (1855), and tippets are used in flies such as the Black Silk and Evening Star. Another use for Lady Amherst pheasant tail fibers is for horns of salmon flies. For example, Kelson (1895) uses Amherst horns in the Abinger. The senior author of this book frequently uses the tail fibers for horns in his artistic salmon flies.

If you want to know more about the Lady Amherst pheasant and other birds related to our fly tying heritage, we suggest you order Rare and Unusual Fly Tying Materials: A Natural History.