Supply of capes and feathers from China diminishing

Golden pheasant stocks from China are now limited.
Photo: Shutterstock/Wang LiQiang

First, a peeve. I have never seen a Chinese hen cape. I see this mythical type of cape recommended by at least one highly skilled online tyer. Chinese hens must exist, but as far as I know they have never been processed into tying capes. I’ve tied flies for a while now, and have NEVER seen or tied with a Chinese hen cape.

Covid created an embargo on most/all bird capes and feathers coming out of China. As far as I know, the restrictions were applied by China and have not been lifted very much in the past couple of years. Historically, we western fly dressers sourced a few feather and bird tying products from China: cock capes, strung hackle, golden pheasant skins, heads and tails, etc. Supply is now limited, or non-existent.

In time, western farmers and breeders may take up the slack and start ranching some of the birds we require for fly tying. But western produced skins and feathers will be expensive.