With the alias of Mikado Pheasant, the bird belongs to the Phasianidae family of Galliformes order. Its scientific name isSyrmaticus mikado(Latin), orTaiwan Long-tailed Pheasant or Mikado Pheasant(English).
The male bird has a full-length of about 86 centimeters. The body feathers are almost completely indigo, with metallic luster on the back and chest. It has long tail, and the black tectrices have prominent white transverse spots. The body feathers of female birds are mostly assuming olive brown, with maroon or brown rectrices and black transverse spots. The beak is black, and the feet are dark gray to green brown.
It inhabits in coniferous forests or sparse forests on precipitous cliffs at an elevation of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. It mainly feeds on arbutus, ferns and other green plants, as well as insects. The breeding period is from March to May, and the nests are usually built on jungle ground or tree stems, with dry foliage as material. The average number of eggs per brood is 5 to 8, which are milky white.
Endemic to China, Long-tailed Pheasant is mainly distributed in middle and eastern parts of Taiwan. The bird has been listed in Appendix I ofInternational Trade Convention on Endangered Wild Animal and Plant Species.
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