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.
