Galliformes / Phasianidae / Lophura
Silver Pheasant
Lophura nycthemera · 白鹇
Introduction
A pheasant species in the genus Lophura, native to forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China. Introduced populations exist on Victoria Island in Argentina and Vancouver Island in Canada. Males are black and white, while females are mainly brown; both sexes have bare red faces and red legs. Common in aviculture and generally common in the wild, though some subspecies are rare and threatened.
Description
Relatively large pheasant with significant size variation among subspecies. Males of the largest subspecies reach 120–125 cm total length, including a tail up to 75 cm, and weigh 1.13–2.00 kg. Males of the smallest subspecies reach barely 70 cm total length, including a 30 cm tail. Females are notably smaller, measuring 55–90 cm in total length with a 24–32 cm tail, and weighing 1.0–1.3 kg. Northern male subspecies have white upperparts and tails with some black markings, glossy bluish-black underparts and crests. Southern male subspecies have greyer upperparts and tails with extensive black markings, appearing darker. Adult male plumage is attained in the second year. Females are brown and shorter-tailed; some subspecies have whitish underparts strongly patterned with black.
Identification
Males are black and white (northern subspecies) or dark grey and black (southern subspecies). Females are mainly brown. Both sexes possess a bare red face and red legs, which distinguishes them from the greyish-legged kalij pheasant.
Distribution & Habitat
Native range includes forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China. Fifteen subspecies are recognized with specific ranges: L. n. omeiensis in central/south Sichuan; L. n. rongjiangensis in southeast Guizhou; L. n. nycthemera in Guangxi, Guangdong, and northeast Vietnam; L. n. fokiensis in northwest Fokien; L. n. whiteheadi in Hainan Island; L. n. occidentalis in northwest Yunnan and northeast Myanmar; L. n. rufipes in southwest Yunnan and central north Myanmar; L. n. jonesi in east Myanmar, south China, and north Thailand; L. n. ripponi in central east Myanmar; L. n. beaulieui in southwest Yunnan, north Laos, and northwest Vietnam; L. n. berliozi in central north Vietnam; L. n. beli in central west Vietnam; L. n. annamensis in central south Vietnam; L. n. lewisi in southwest Cambodia and southeast Thailand; L. n. engelbachi in south Laos. Introduced on Victoria Island, Neuquén, Argentina, and Vancouver Island, Canada.
Behavior & Ecology
Closely related to the kalij pheasant and known to hybridize with it. The imperial pheasant is a naturally occurring hybrid between this species and Edward's pheasant.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Lophura
Subspecies (15)
-
Lophura nycthemera annamensis
montane forest of southern Vietnam
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
