Brown Eared Pheasant

When threatened by raptors (order Falconiformes), brown eared-pheasants will freeze in place. When threatened by mammals (class Mammalia), they will run uphill or to nearby cover (Johnsgard, 1986).

Known Predators:

• raptors (Falconiformes)
• mammals (Mammalia)

Brown eared-pheasants may reach 100 cm in length (Harper, 1986). Male wing length ranges from 270 to 312 mm, and female wing length ranges from 265 to 290 mm. Tail length for males and females measures 518 to 582 mm and 447 to 576 mm, respectively. Tarsal length for males and females is around 100 mm. Males weigh 1650 to 2475 g, while females weigh 1450 to 2025 g (Madge and McGowan, 2002).

Overall, females are usually smaller and lack leg spurs. Males are mostly dark brown on the head, neck, and upper chest. They have long cream-colored or whitish tail beathers (Harper, 1986) that terminate in a brownish-black, glossy purplish-blue (Johnsgard, 1986). The tail has two central feathers that have soft, drooping veins much like Ostrich feathers (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Males have a characteristic large red eye patch with buff to brown-colored tufts beneath the eyes extending toward the back of the head in a most distinguished fashion (Harper, 1986). In fact, these tufts are reminiscent of a handle-bar moustache (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Wing coverts are glossy purplish, and the lower back, rump and upper tail is silvery white. The underparts are brown in color. The beak is a light reddish color, and the legs are crimson. The male develops wattles and leg spurs (Johnsgard, 1986).

Range mass: 1450 to 2475 g.

Range length: 100 (high) cm.

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

We do not have information on lifespan/longevity for this species at this time.

These pheasants are found on the slopes of mountains and occur throughout the high plateaus of their geographic range (Delacour, 1958) at 1100 to 2600 m (Madge and McGowan, 2002). They are terrestrial, temperate birds and are found in mixed coniferous and deciduous forests with an understory of shrubs (Madge and McGowan, 2002).

Range elevation: 1100 to 2600 m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; mountains

Brown eared-pheasants were the first Crossoptilon species to be bred in captivity. The first pheasants were bred in 1864 in Paris (Harper, 1986). These pheasants were imported to London from the French stock in 1866 (Delacour, 1958).

Brown eared-pheasants are closely related to Crossoptilon crossoptilon (white eared-pheasant) and Crossoptilon auritum (blue eared-pheasant). White eared-pheasants were imported to the United States in 1935, and a small stock has been developed and maintained (Delacour, 1958; Harper, 1986). White eared-pheasants lack the tufts extending toward the back of the head (Harper, 1986). Blue eared-pheasants are the most common in captivity (Delacour, 1958; Harper, 1986) and are considered the most beautiful by some aviculturalists (Delacour, 1958).

During the breeding season, male brown eared-pheasants will utter a "trip crrrr ah" call that starts out softly, but increases in volume. The call may last for as long as one minute (Madge and McGowan, 2002). The male will utter the call very intensively in the spring, although both male and female will call throughout the rest of year.

Communication Channels: acoustic

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

These pheasants are at a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future. The result of habitat loss and hunting has been a rapid decline in populations in unprotected areas. In protected areas, populations of brown eared-pheasants have remained stable. These pheasants occur in small areas as fragmented populations and are found in no more than ten locations.

These pheasants were wide-spread until the 1930's. Loss of forest habitat and hunting contributed to their decline. In protected areas, brown eared-pheasant are still under pressure because of human activities. Mushroom collectors and egg collection has contributed to nesting failures as high as 78% is some areas (Madge and McGowan, 2002).

The Pheasant Trust has been involved in breeding brown eared-pheasants and white eared-pheasants (Wayre, 1979). This organization's mission is to breed endangered pheasant species in captivity, and when possible, reintroduce young birds into the wild in their native land, provided that suitable habitat still exists (Wayre, 1979).

Brown eared-pheasants are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and as Appendix I by CITES.

CITES: appendix i

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable

There are no known adverse affects of brown eared-pheasants on humans.

Captive-breeding of this and related Crossoptilon species have added to aviaries around the world (Harper, 1986).

Positive Impacts: pet trade

Brown eared-pheasants have an impact on the vegetation they eat.

These birds forage on the ground looking for insects, seeds, and vegetation; they also dig for roots (Harper, 1986). Brown eared-pheasants will also dig in and around clumps of grass to find bulbs, tubers, and other underground vegetative materials to eat (Madge and McGowan, 2002).

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: leaves; roots and tubers; seeds, grains, and nuts

Primary Diet: omnivore

Brown eared-pheasants are indigenous to western China, Mongolia, and Tibet (Delacour, 1958; Harper, 1986).

Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )

Sometimes, brown eared-pheasants form permanent pair-bonds (Madge and McGowan, 2002). These pheasants are not aggressive, even during the breeding season (Harper, 1986).

During the breeding season, male brown eared-pheasants will utter a "trip crrrr ah" call that starts out softly, but increases in volume. The call may last for as long as one minute (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Males will utter the call very intensively in the spring, although both male and female will call throughout the rest of year. Male pheasants may perch on a boulder or the lower branch of an oak tree or stand on the ground to utter their challenging calls to establish breeding territories (Johnsgard, 1986).

Male brown eared-pheasants will tidbit during courtship (present the female with food). They will then adopt a lateral posture, enlarge their wattles, droop their primary wing feathers, and fan their tail. The female will crouch and engage in a head-weaving motion where her beak is tucked in toward her chest. Copulation occurs shortly thereafter (Johnsgard, 1986).

Mating System: monogamous

The breeding season for brown eared-pheasants is from April to June. Breeding occurs in the second year despite development of adult plumage earlier (Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986).

A clutch consists of five to eight eggs (Harper, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002), although there have been reports of clutch sizes ranging from 4 to 22 eggs. The female usually lays smaller clutches during her first year and for second broods if the first clutch is lost (Madge and McGowan, 2002). In captivity, eggs are laid every other day (Johnsgard, 1986). The eggs are a pale stone green in color (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Egg size averages 53 by 39 mm and the weight ranges from 44.5 to 60 g (Johnsgard, 1986). Incubation lasts 26 to 27 days; the female is the sole incubator (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Hatchlings weigh on average 40 g. After four weeks, young birds weigh on average 309 g.

Breeding interval: A second brood will be attempted within one season if the first brood is lost.

Breeding season: April to June

Range eggs per season: 4 to 22.

Range time to hatching: 26 to 27 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 years.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous

Incubation lasts 26 to 27 days; the female is the sole incubator (Madge and McGowan, 2002). Young are precocial.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; precocial ; pre-fertilization; pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female)

Eared-pheasants are gregarious birds, typically living in flocks of ten to thirty or more for much of the year, and separating into monogamous pairs in spring (4) (7). The breeding season starts in mid-March, when pairs move to higher altitudes and establish and defend well-sheltered territories with good food supplies (7). The courtship display of the cock consists of much running around and calling, with wings lowered, tail raised up, scarlet face wattles extended and the neck rounded (4). Nests are made on the ground in a protected spot, into which clutches of four to twenty eggs are laid from early April, and incubated by the female for 26 to 27 days (7). The brown eared-pheasant is mainly herbivorous, using its powerful beak to dig up roots and tubers, but also feeds on stems, leaves, buds, fruits, seeds, insects and worms (4) (7).

The brown eared-pheasant is nationally protected in China, and the several nature reserves it occurs in (Luya Shan, Pangquanguo, Tianlong Shan, Wulushan and Xiaowutai Shan) are considered crucial for the protection of the species and its habitat (5) (7). There is even evidence that numbers have increased in Luyashan, Xiaowutai Shan and Pangquangou since the reserves were established. In 1996, the provincial wildlife department in Taiyuan and the headquarters of Pangquanguo National Nature Reserve were requested to stop the mushroom exploitation that was disturbing this species, which they have done (7). Tree-planting and forest management programmes since the 1980s are also likely to have benefited this species in some areas. Additionally, the bird's biology and conservation are currently being intensively studied in a four-year project (5). There are estimated to be approximately 1,000 brown eared-pheasants in captivity world-wide, including captive populations in Pangquanguo National Nature Reserve, Xiaowutai Shan Nature Reserve, Beijing Zoo, and the Endangered Species Breeding Center and the Institute of Zoology, both also in Beijing (7).

A unique feature of eared-pheasants (Crossoptilon spp.) is that males and females are virtually identical, even more remarkable as the plumage is highly specialised and ornamental (4). This large pheasant has a velvety black head and neck, gradually shading to a deep brown on the body and whitish on the lower back and rump, which extends into a long soft white tail, broadly tipped in black (4) (5). The bare facial skin and legs are a crimson-red, but the bird is most notable for its prominent white cheek tufts that extend from the base of the bill, somewhat resembling an up-turned moustache (4) (5). The male is slightly larger than the female, but can only really be distinguished by its spurs, which are larger and rounder at the base than the hen's (4) (5) (6).

The brown eared-pheasant breeds in montane broad-leaved and mixed coniferous forests up to 2,600 metres above sea level, but in winter, moves to lower altitudes, down to 1,100 metres above sea level, where it occupies scrub at the forest edge on south-facing slopes (2) (5).

Endemic to northeast China (5).

Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1) and listed on Appendix I of CITES (3).

Populations appear to be stable or even increasing within protected areas, but declining elsewhere in the face of ongoing habitat loss and hunting (5) (7). The species' range has been reduced and widely fragmented due to large-scale cutting of trees for agriculture and urban development, and degraded by logging and livestock-grazing (5) (8). As a result, remaining scattered, isolated populations have become more accessible to hunters and highly vulnerable to disturbance caused by grazing (7) (8). Even within protected areas, certain pressures remain. When Wulushan Nature Reserve was established in 1990, a lack of management or staff meant that local communities continued to collected firewood and cut trees illegally, and farmers still use poison bates to hunt common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), which presumably also affects the brown eared-pheasant (7). Egg collection and disturbance by local people collecting fungi are thought to be the cause of high nest failure rates at Pangquangou National Nature Reserve (5) (7).

Crossoptilon mantchuricum

The brown eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) is a large, 96– to 100-cm-long, dark brown pheasant endemic to the mountain forests of northeastern China (Shanxi and nearby provinces). The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1863. It has stiff white ear coverts behind the eyes, which look like a moustache. The crown is black with red bare facial skin and its tail of 22 elongated, white feathers is curved, loose and dark-tipped. Both sexes are similar in plumage.

The rarest member in the genus Crossoptilon, its diet consists mainly of roots, bulbs, and plant matter. The female lays five to eight large, pale stone green eggs, which take 28 days to hatch.

Due to isolated populations, deforestation, and poaching (despite being a protected species), the brown eared pheasant is evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.