White Eared Pheasant

About the White Eared Pheasant

The white eared pheasant, also known as Dolan's eared pheasant or Bee's pheasant, is a species of "eared pheasant" that get its name because its colouration is white and has the prominent ear tufts of the genus, not because it has white ears. The indigenous people of Himalaya call it shagga, meaning snow fowl. This gregarious bird lives in large flocks, foraging on alpine meadows close to or above the snowline throughout the year. C. crossoptilon is found in China where it tends to inhabit mixed forests and can be found around Buddhist monasteries.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where the White Eared Pheasant lives

When to see the White Eared Pheasant

Peak activity in May · a summer visitor species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Blue Eared PheasantCrossoptilon auritumThe blue eared pheasant is around 96 cm (38 in) long (including the 49–56 cm (19–22 in) tail); males weigh 1700–2110 g, and females 1450–1880 g. Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricumThe crown feathers are velvety and dark brown, and the neck is also dark brown with a faint, narrow white band across the nape. Tibetan Eared PheasantCrossoptilon harmaniThe Tibetan eared pheasant shares many characteristics, such as the short ears and the droopy tail, with the white eared pheasant (C. crossoptilon), as well as having similar calls and hybridising with it in the Salween Valley, so the two may be conspecific.