The male is one of the most beautiful birds in the world, whilst the female is a warm brown with striations, a necessary camouflage for a bird which has to incubate a clutch of eggs in some grass tussock for 23 days yet avoid the attentions of predators.

Originate in the dense forests of hilly Central China, yet have been captive bred in Europe for at least 200 years. They are very popular aviary birds, cheap to buy and easy to feed; various colour mutations are available.