I saw a very special bird in Erziping in June 2024. I never knew what it was until I saw a post from Yangmingshan National Park that it might be a purebred silver pheasant, or it may be a hybrid pet bird. The silver pheasant is closely related to the kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos). It is mainly found in East Asia and Indochina, including China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown. Both sexes have a bare red face and red legs. The silver pheasant inhabits the plains to woodlands, dense bamboo forests, and shrubs at altitudes below 2,000 meters. It is a social bird with strict class relationships within the group. Often polygamous. It is not good at flying and mostly moves in groups on the ground. It likes to run fast and is agile, making it difficult for people to approach it. Roosts on branches at night. The habitat area has been reduced due to human development of hillside land. The sound is loud, but monotonous and harsh. The silver pheasant feeds mainly on insects, seeds and fruits. In Chinese culture, it has been a valuable ornamental bird since ancient times.
我2024年六月在二子坪看到一隻很特別的鳥，一直不知道是什麼鳥，直到最近看到陽明山國家公園的帖子，我才知道這隻鳥可能是純種的白鷴，也可能是人為雜交的寵物鳥。白鷴又名銀雞、越禽、白鷴雞、白雉、雗、鵫雉、閒客、白雗、啞瑞等，與黑鷴是近緣種。主要分布在東亞與中南半島，包括中國、越南、寮國、緬甸與泰國等地。雄性為黑白相間，雌性則主要為棕色。雄雌都有光秃秃的紅臉和紅腿。白鷴棲息在平地低至海拔2,000公尺以下之林地、濃密竹林、灌木叢中，屬於社群活動鳥類，族群內有嚴格的階級關係。常是一夫多妻。不擅飛行，多在地表結群活動，喜疾馳，性機敏，人不易接近它。夜晚棲息於樹枝上。因人為開發山坡地而使棲地面積縮減。鳴聲宏亮，但單調刺耳。白鷴以昆蟲、種子及果實為主食。在中國文化中自古即是名貴的觀賞鳥。
Notes 筆記
- The silver pheasant is closely related to the kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos). It is mainly found in East Asia and Indochina, including China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
- Silver pheasant is a relatively large pheasant, with males of the largest subspecies having a total length of 47 to 49 in, including a tail up to 30 in, while the males of the smallest subspecies barely reach 28 in in total length, including a tail around 12 in. Females of all subspecies are notably smaller than their respective males.
- Males of the northern subspecies, which are the largest, have white upperparts and tail (most feathers with some black markings), while their underparts and crest are glossy bluish-black. The males of the southern subspecies have greyer upperparts and tail with extensive black markings, making them appear far darker than the northern subspecies. Females are brown and shorter-tailed than males. Females of some subspecies have whitish underparts strongly patterned with black.
- The silver pheasant inhabits the plains to woodlands, dense bamboo forests, and shrubs at altitudes below 2,000 meters. It is a social bird with strict class relationships within the group. Often polygamous. It is not good at flying and mostly moves in groups on the ground. It likes to run fast and is agile, making it difficult for people to approach it. Roosts on branches at night. The habitat area has been reduced due to human development of hillside land. The sound is loud, but monotonous and harsh.
- The silver pheasant feeds mainly on insects, seeds and fruits.
- In Chinese culture, it has been a valuable ornamental bird since ancient times.
- 白鷴又名銀雞、越禽、白鷴雞、白雉、雗、鵫雉、閒客、白雗、啞瑞等，與黑鷴是近緣種。主要分布在東亞與中南半島，包括中國、越南、寮國、緬甸與泰國等地。
- 白鷴是一種相對較大的雉雞，最大亞種的雄性總長度為 47 至 49 英吋，包括長達 30 英吋的尾羽，而最小亞種的雄性總長度僅有 28 英吋，包括約12英寸的尾羽。所有亞種的雌性都明顯小於雄性。
- 北方亞種的雄性最大，有白色的上半身和尾巴（大多數羽毛有一些黑色斑紋），而它們的腹部和冠是有光澤的藍黑色。南部亞種的雄性上身和尾巴較灰，有許多黑色斑紋，看起來比北部亞種的顏色更深。雌性是棕色，尾巴比雄性短。某些亞種的雌性腹部呈白色，有明顯的黑色圖案。
- 白鷴棲息在平地低至海拔2,000公尺以下之林地、濃密竹林、灌木叢中，屬於社群活動鳥類，族群內有嚴格的階級關係。常是一夫多妻。不擅飛行，多在地表結群活動，喜疾馳，性機敏，人不易接近它。夜晚棲息於樹枝上。因人為開發山坡地而使棲地面積縮減。鳴聲宏亮，但單調刺耳。
- 白鷴以昆蟲、種子及果實為主食。
- 在中國文化中自古即是名貴的觀賞鳥。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Silver pheasant
- 維基百科: 白鷴
Birds Posts 鳥的帖子