Female © Craig Brelsford
Male © Craig Brelsford
Male © jimmy Yao
Female © jimmy Yao

Swinhoe's Pheasant Lophura swinhoii

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

Secretive, handsome endemic pheasant of Taiwan's mountains. Male slaty blue from nape to flanks, with contrasting white upper back, brown mantle, and dark gray wings; female mostly rich brown with pale markings above. Both sexes have red facial skin, more extensive in male. Forages quietly in pairs in the forest understory, occasionally along forest edge on trails or roads. Both sexes give subtle clucking calls and a high-pitched squeaky alarm call. Male has white in tail and back, unlike Mikado Pheasant; female distinguished by richer plumage tones, broader tail, pale bill, reddish legs, and unmarked underparts.

POWERED BY MERLIN