Animal Diversity Web

Geographic Range

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

• Biogeographic Regions
• oriental
  • native

Habitat

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). (Delacour, 1958; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Habitat Regions
• temperate
• terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest
• mountains

• Range elevation

  1100 to 2600 m

  3608.92 to 8530.18 ft

Physical Description

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). (Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic
• bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• male larger
• sexes colored or patterned differently

• Range mass

  1450 to 2475 g

  51.10 to 87.22 oz

• Range length

  100 (high) cm

  39.37 (high) in

Reproduction

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). (Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002; Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002; Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• 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. (Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous
• seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual
• fertilization
  • internal
• oviparous

• 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

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

• Parental Investment
• no parental involvement
• precocial
• pre-fertilization
• pre-hatching/birth
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

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

Behavior

Often, brown eared-pheasants are found in groups of 10 to 30 birds. Sometimes, birds form permanent pair-bonds within the group (Madge and McGowan, 2002), especially during the winter (Johnsgard, 1986). These pheasants are not aggressive, even during the breeding season (Harper, 1986).

Male pheasants may perch on a boulder or the lower branch of an oak tree or stand on the ground to utter their challenging call to establish a breeding territory (Johnsgard, 1986). As part of their daily routine, these birds will leave wooded roosting sites and head to grassy meadows, then return to the roosting sites by evening (Johnsgard, 1986). (Harper, 1986; Johnsgard, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Key Behaviors
• flies
• diurnal
• motile
• nomadic
• territorial
• social

Home Range

We do not have information on home range for this species at this time.

Communication and Perception

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. (Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Communication Channels
• acoustic

• Perception Channels
• visual
• tactile
• acoustic
• chemical

Food Habits

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). (Harper, 1986; Madge and McGowan, 2002)

• Primary Diet
• omnivore

• Animal Foods
• insects

• Plant Foods
• leaves
• roots and tubers
• seeds, grains, and nuts

Predation

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). (Johnsgard, 1986)

• Known Predators

  • raptors (Falconiformes)
  • mammals (Mammalia)

Ecosystem Roles

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

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

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

• Positive Impacts
• pet trade

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

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

Conservation Status

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. (BirdLife International 2000, 2003; Madge and McGowan, 2002; Wayre, 1979)

• IUCN Red List

  Vulnerable
  More information

• IUCN Red List

  Vulnerable
  More information

• CITES

  Appendix I

Other Comments

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). (Delacour, 1958; Harper, 1986)

Contributors

Alaine Camfield (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

Janice Pappas (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

References

BirdLife International 2000, 2003. "Crossoptilon mantchuricum. In: IUCN 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species" (On-line). Accessed 12/08/2003 at http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=5682.

Delacour, J. 1958. The Blue Eared Pheasant. Avicultural Magazine, 64(1): 1-2.

Harper, D. 1986. Pet Birds for Home and Garden. London: Salamander Books Ltd.

Johnsgard, P. 1986. The Pheasants of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Madge, S., P. McGowan. 2002. Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse: A Guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails and Sandgrouse of the World. London: Christopher Helm.

Wayre, P. 1979. The Pheasant Trust. Avicultural Magazine, 85(4): 224-231.