- Lophura nycthemera
Identification
125 cm. Long black crest, black chin and throat, glossy blue-black belly. The rest of the body is white, with many black lines. Long tails, pure white central feathers. Bright red face wattles used during courtship. First year males often have many black markings on the chest, while the rest of the body is mostly brown with light grey streaks. Hens are drab, olive brown overall. Females have a much smaller and paler face wattle. The bill is grey and the feet red.
Distribution
South-western China, eastern Burma, southern Vietnam, southwestern Cambodia, southeastern Thailand, northern Laos and the island of Hainan.
Taxonomy
Clements[1] recognises 15 subspecies, but separation of some of these may not be justified (Taxonomy Forum thread)
Habitat
Grasslands, bamboo, evergreen and decidous forests.
Behaviour
6 to 15 eggs are laid and are incubated for 26-27 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Silver Pheasant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Silver_Pheasant
