- Crossoptilon crossoptilon
Identification
- White body with varying amounts of grey depending on subspecies
- Velvety black crown
- Red facial skin
- Small, dark tail
- Small ear-tufts
Sexes are similar, but the hens are usually smaller.
Distribution
Himalayas of south-eastern Tibet, western Sichuan and north-western Yunnan.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
- C. c. drouynii - Montane forests of eastern Tibet
- C. c. dolani - West-central China (southern Qinghai)
- C. c. crossoptilon - South-western China (western Sichuan) to south-eastern Tibet and extreme north-eastern India
- C. c. lichiangense - South-central China (north-western Yunnan)
Tibetan Eared Pheasant has been split from White Eared Pheasant.
Habitat
Rhododendron forests; montane forests, rocky hillsides in coniferous forests, also in mixed forests in summer to the snow line.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes pine needles, juniper berries, wolf berries, and the desiccated seed pods of iris, lily and allium.
Breeding
Four to seven buff eggs are laid and are incubated for 24 days.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- gbwf.org
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White Eared Pheasant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White_Eared_Pheasant
