Blue pheasant, Hua Ji (In Taiwanese
pronunciation), mountain chicken, red-footed mountain chicken,
Wa chicken
Features:
Male
Female
Body length
71-72cm
46-57cm
Wing length
24-25.5cm
23-24cm
Tail length
34-42cm
20-25cm
Body color
Males
have shimmering, dark blue plumage; a deep, bluish-black
head; white crests, napes, and tail feathers; and purple
or reddish-brown scapulars. The edges of their feathers
have a metallic, purplish-blue tinge to them.
Females
are smaller in build than males and have dark brown
feathers with V-shaped yellow spots spread evenly on
their backs. Their head, necks, and abdomen are yellowish-brown,
they have fine, brownish-black lines on their head and
chest, and there are dark brown, V-shaped patterns on
both sides of their abdomen.
Whether a nestling or a juvenile, Swinhoe's
pheasants have an appearance similar to that of a baby chick,
with several dark brown vertical lines on their head and eye
lines. Males have a glimmering, bluish-green tint on the edges
of their feathers, while females have olive brown plumage
mixed with horizontal, chestnut colored marks.
Behavior:
Swinhoe's
pheasants have a diet consisting primarily of wild berries,
sprouts, seeds, and fresh leaves, though they will occasionally
dig into decayed litter on the ground to search for earthworms
and other invertebrates. A quiet, shy, and cautious bird,
they often search for food in open areas under forests when
visibility is low-at dawn or dusk, in the fog, or on gloomy
days-and if disturbed, they will immediately run into the
bushes or fly swiftly to lower ground.
Habitat:
Swinhoe's
pheasants are endemic to Taiwan and usually found on the floors
of wild broad-leaved forests from low altitudes up to 2300m
in elevation.
