Silver Pheasant
Lophura nycthemera
The Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) is a rare partridges, pheasants, grouse, and alli found in 16 countries, weighing about 1.2 kg. The silver pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China.
About the Silver Pheasant
The silver pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China. It is introduced on Victoria Island in Nahuel Huapi Lake, Neuquén, Argentina and on Vancouver Island, Canada. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown. Both sexes have a bare red face and red legs. It is common in aviculture, and overall also remains common in the wild, but some of its subspecies are rare and threatened.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This is a relatively large pheasant, with males of the largest subspecies having a total length of 120 to 125 cm (47 to 49 in), including a tail up to 75 cm (30 in), while the males of the smallest subspecies barely reach 70 cm (28 in) in total length, including a tail around 30 cm (12 in). The body mass of males can range from 1.13–2.00 kg (2.49–4.41 lb). Females of all subspecies are notably smaller than their respective males, with a size range of 55–90 cm (22–35 in) in total length, including a tail of 24–32 cm (9.4–12.6 in). The body mass of females can range from 1.0–1.3 kg (2.2–2.9 lb).
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Argentina, United States, Belgium, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Silver Pheasant?
- This is a relatively large pheasant, with males of the largest subspecies having a total length of 120 to 125 cm (47 to 49 in), including a tail up to 75 cm (30 in), while the males of the smallest subspecies barely reach 70 cm (28 in) in total length, including a tail around 30 cm (12 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Silver Pheasant?
- The Silver Pheasant is a large sized bird weighing about 1.2 kg.
- Where can you see a Silver Pheasant?
- The Silver Pheasant occurs in 16 countries, including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
- What birds look similar to a Silver Pheasant?
- The Silver Pheasant is most easily confused with the Bornean Crested Fireback, the Siamese Fireback and the Bulwer's Pheasant.
- Is the Silver Pheasant endangered?
- The Silver Pheasant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Silver Pheasant for real
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