Rare birds return to castle after 30 years (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Rare birds return to castle after 30 years

RARE and endangered pheasants have returned to Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe after an absence of more than 30 years.

The castle was well-known for its unique collection of colourful pheasants but the collection gradually died out and was not replaced.

Now, under the care of an experienced curator, Sudeley has once again established one of the largest public collections of pheasants in the country.

The newly-created pheasantry and wildfowl area opened last week and is already home to 12 pairs of rare and endangered pheasants.

The birds include spectacular long tailed Golden pheasants plus lesser known breeds such as Temminck's Tragopan, the Himalayan Monal, the Blue-eared pheasant and the Reeve's pheasant.

"Pheasants originate from Asia," said Sudeley's pheasant and wildfowl curator John Sherlock.

"Our birds originate from China, Indonesia, Pakistan and other countries in the region. Some, like the pheasants from Malaysia, need careful looking after including heat in winter, while others, especially the birds from China, are very hardy."

Some of the birds in the new collection, which also includes six peacocks, are not yet in full plumage and some will take a few years before they look their best.

Lady Ashcombe, chatelaine of Sudeley Castle, said she was thrilled that Sudeley once again has a pheasantry.

"It has given me enormous pleasure to re-establish the pheasantry as it was a passionate interest of my children's father, the late Mark Dent-Brocklehurst," she said. "One of the birds soon to arrive comes from the same blood line as the pheasants collected and bred by Mark and that adds a poignant and wonderful continuity to this new resource."

The pheasantry is part of a new garden attraction at Sudeley, based around a magnificent 150-year-old tree and a large wildfowl lake. The Sudeley Castle Pheasantry and Wildfowl Area is open from 10.30am to 5.30pm every day and admission, which includes entry into Sudeley's gardens, shop, restaurant and plant centre, is £5.50 for adults and £3.25 for children over five. On Sundays and Bank Holidays the cost is £6.50 for adults and £4.25 for children. For more information call 01242 602 308.