Reeves's Pheasant
Syrmaticus reevesii
白冠长尾雉
Introduction
A large pheasant in the genus Syrmaticus, family Phasianidae. Endemic to the temperate evergreen and deciduous forests of central and eastern China. Two particularly distinctive traits are its extraordinarily long tail feathers, which can reach 2.4 meters and grow approximately 30 cm annually, and its unusual musical warbling call that resembles a passerine rather than a typical galliform. Evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and overhunting, with an estimated 2,000 birds remaining in the wild.
Description
Males measure 210 cm long and weigh 1,529 g. They have brightly scaled plumage with golden white and red body feathers, grey legs, brown iris, and bare red skin around the eye. The head is white with a narrow black band crossing the eyes. The most striking feature is the extremely long silvery white tail barred with chestnut brown, measuring up to 2.4 m—holding the record for the longest natural tail feather of any bird species. Females measure 75 cm long and weigh 949 g, appearing brown with a blackish crown, buff face, and greyish brown barred tail feathers. No recognized subspecies exist.
Identification
Males are unmistakable due to their extraordinarily long barred tail feathers, which can exceed 2.4 meters. Females are similar in size to common pheasants but can be distinguished by their blackish crown and greyish brown barred tail. The species' unusual musical warbling call, unlike the typical calls of other game birds, also aids identification. The combination of white-headed plumage with black eye-band and extremely long tail makes adult males unmistakable in their range.
Distribution & Habitat
Endemic to the temperate evergreen and deciduous forests of central and eastern China. Introduced for sport and ornamental purposes to the United States, Czech Republic, France, and the United Kingdom. In Britain, releases occurred across England, Scotland, and Ireland during the 20th century; breeding was reported at multiple sites but populations failed to establish widely. By the late 1970s, only Woburn in Bedfordshire and Kinveachy in the Caledonian Forest supported significant breeding, and by 2009 no areas of notable reproduction remained. Failure to establish is attributed to males wandering from release sites, limited call carrying distance, and interbreeding with common pheasants.
Behavior & Ecology
A hardy species tolerating both hot and cold weather, preferring higher ground for nesting. The female lays a clutch of 7-14 eggs in April or May, with an incubation period of 24-25 days. Individuals exhibit notable aggression toward humans, animals, and other pheasants, particularly during the breeding season. The call is a musical warble, more passerine-like than typical of galliform birds. Diet consists of vegetable matter including seeds and cereals. The species is common in aviculture and valued as a gamebird for inhabiting wooded hills avoided by native gamebirds and for being a high flyer when startled.
Conservation
Evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Population estimates indicate approximately 2,000 birds remain in the wild. Primary threats include ongoing habitat loss, overhunting for food, and exploitation for tail plumes. The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES, requiring documentation for international trade in specimens, parts, and derivatives including feathers.
Culture
Named after British naturalist John Reeves, who first introduced live specimens to Europe in 1831. The species was mentioned in the 2008 edition of Guinness World Records for holding the record for the longest natural tail feather of any bird species, a distinction previously held by the crested argus pheasant.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Syrmaticus
- eBird Code
- reephe1
Distribution
low-altitude deciduous forest of north-central China
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.