Mikado Pheasant
Encyclopedia
The Mikado Pheasant, Syrmaticus mikado, is a gamebird in the pheasant
family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.
to mountainous regions of Taiwan
. The species occupies dense shrubs, bamboo growth and grassy terrain with conifer overstory in central and southern Taiwan, from 2000 to 3200 metres above sea level.
s of the bird were used by the Taiwanese aborigines as a head-dress decoration. The type specimen of the pheasant comprises two such tail feathers obtained in 1906 by collector Walter Goodfellow
from the head-dress of one of his porters.
. Heavy hunting pressure was a problem in the past, but is not a serious threat today. The Mikado Pheasant is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.
Distribution and habitat
The Mikado Pheasant is endemicEndemism in birds
An endemic bird area is a region of the world that contains two or more restricted-range species, while a "secondary area" contains one or more restricted-range species. Both terms were devised by Birdlife International....
to mountainous regions of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The species occupies dense shrubs, bamboo growth and grassy terrain with conifer overstory in central and southern Taiwan, from 2000 to 3200 metres above sea level.
Description
The shiny long-tailed males of this species get to be up to 70 cm in body length, while the smaller and less showy females measure up to 47 cm. The long and stiff shiny tail featherFeather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s of the bird were used by the Taiwanese aborigines as a head-dress decoration. The type specimen of the pheasant comprises two such tail feathers obtained in 1906 by collector Walter Goodfellow
Walter Goodfellow
Walter Goodfellow was a British zoological collector and ornithologist.-Career:Goodfellow began his career as a wildlife collector by collecting specimens for museums, but later concentrated on capturing live birds for private aviaries...
from the head-dress of one of his porters.
Behaviour
The pheasants will often come out into the open either in light rain or after heavy rain, where the mist conceals them. They tend to be solitary, often quiet, yet alert. They can usually tolerate the presence of humans and, as long as there is an intervening distance of 10–20 metres, it is possible to observe them. When disturbed, they will slowly and cautiously seek out shelter within surrounding vegetation, rather than fluttering away in a panic. If desperate, they will fly short distances, gliding down the mountainside. The males are territorial, with a range of 200–400 metres in radius. They make ke, ke, ke calls when fighting for their mate or territory.Feeding
The pheasants will often walk and forage for food (a diet of various fruit, leaves, vegetation, seeds and invertebrates) at the same time, in a manner similar to chickens, on the forest floor and mountain trails, especially on rainy and foggy days.Breeding
The breeding season of Mikado Pheasants lasts from March to June. Mikado Pheasants build their nests mainly with dead branches, fallen leaves, dry grass and feathers in tree holes or depressions under rocks. Females usually lay three to eight creamy-coloured eggs at one time and it is they who are solely responsible for the incubation of the eggs (which take about 26–28 days to hatch) and the nurture of fledglings, once they are born. The young are usually independent by six months the latest.Status and conservation
There are some Mikado Pheasants bred in captivity, but there are only about 10,000 individuals in the wild, particularly in the Yushan National ParkYushan National Park
Yushan National Park is one of the seven national parks in Taiwan and was named after the summit Yushan, the highest peak of the park. The Park covers a total of 105,490 hectares including large sections of the Central Mountain Range. The Park contains over thirty peaks more than 3,000 meters in...
. Heavy hunting pressure was a problem in the past, but is not a serious threat today. The Mikado Pheasant is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.