# Silver Pheasant (*Lophura nycthemera*) The Silver Pheasant is a beautiful bird with shiny silver feathers and a long tail. They live in forests and are known for their striking colors and unique calls. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Silver Pheasant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lophura_nycthemera%252C_Exiandong_reserve%252C_Fujian_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: lonelyshrimp, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lophura_nycthemera%252C_Exiandong_reserve%252C_Fujian_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Silver Pheasant male has striking white plumage with fine black streaks on its back and a very long, sweeping white tail. Its face is adorned with vivid red wattles and a dark crest. Females are duller, mostly brownish-olive with a shorter, plain tail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Galliformes - **Family:** Phasianidae - **Genus:** Lophura ## Interesting facts - Baby pheasants can leave their nest and follow their mom just hours after hatching! - Males grow stunningly long tail feathers, sometimes longer than their whole body! - Their wild home is in the misty mountain forests of Southeast Asia. - They love to dust bathe, rolling in dry soil to keep their feathers clean and healthy. ## Special abilities - **Forest Camouflage:** Silver Pheasants have intricate feather patterns that help them blend into the dappled light and shadows of the dense forest, helping them hide from predators. - **Rapid Takeoff:** Silver Pheasants can burst into flight with powerful wing beats to escape danger quickly, despite not being strong long-distance flyers. - **Ground Forager:** Silver Pheasants have strong legs and claws that help them scratch and dig through leaf litter to find hidden seeds and insects. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-125 cm - **Wingspan:** 60-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-1.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-15 - **Incubation:** 24-25 days ## Diet & Feeding They eat a mix of plants and small creatures found by scratching the forest floor. - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Berries, Leaves, Shoots, Insects, Worms - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — Pheasants are prey for big cats. - **Eaten by:** [Dhole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dhole) (*Cuon alpinus*) — Wild dogs hunt ground-dwelling birds. - **Eaten by:** Barred Eagle-Owl (*Bubo sumatranus*) — Nocturnal owls prey on sleeping birds. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Silver Pheasant? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Silver Pheasant? 70-125 cm ### What is Silver Pheasant's wingspan? 60-80 cm ### How much does Silver Pheasant weigh? 0.9-1.7 kg ### How long does Silver Pheasant live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Silver Pheasant move? 40 km/h ### What does Silver Pheasant eat? They eat a mix of plants and small creatures found by scratching the forest floor. ### Where is Silver Pheasant usually found? Forests ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Silver Pheasant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-pheasant)