White-eared pheasant

White-eared pheasant
Crossoptilon crossoptilon drouynii, Hodgson, 1838

It can be found in high mountain forests with dense undergrowth, at altitudes between 3000 and 4500 m above sea level, near water sources (whose role is replaced by snow in the cold months). In winter, white-eared pheasants merge into larger flocks and descend into forests in lower regions. As with all eared pheasants, males and females of this species are coloured exactly the same. They dig in the ground only with their beaks, which are well-adapted to it (they are strong and wide).
Distribution: from eastern Tibet to southwestern Yunnan; western Sichuan, southern Qinghai

male / female
body length: 86–96 cm
wing length: 21–26 cm / 20–22 cm
body mass: 1,35–1,45 kg / 0,9–1,05 kg