Blue eared pheasant

The blue eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum), also sometimes hyphenated as blue eared-pheasant, is a large pheasant endemic to China. Although it is considered rare,^[2] the blue eared pheasant is evaluated as of least concern.

The blue eared pheasant is around 96 cm (38 in) long (including the 49–56 cm (19–22 in) tail); males weigh 1700–2110 g, and females 1450–1880 g.^[3] It has dark blue-grey plumage with velvet black crown, red facial wattles of bare skin surrounding the eyes, yellow iris, long white ear coverts below and behind the eyes, a pale pink bill, and crimson legs. Its tail of 24 elongated bluish-grey feathers is curved, loose, and dark-tipped, with the outer five pairs of tail feathers having a white base. Both sexes have similar plumage, though the male is slightly larger, and has short spurs on the legs.^[3][4]

The blue eared pheasant is found in the mountain forests of central China, preferring juniper scrub in alpine meadows at 2700–4400 m altitude.^[3][5] Its range is to the northeast of the closely related white eared pheasantC. crossoptilon, and southwest of the brown eared pheasantC. mantchuricum.^[5]

Its diet consists mainly (about 80%) of berries and vegetable matter; the remaining 20% being insects, particularly beetles.^[3]

• List of endangered and protected species of China

• Ficha informativa sobre las especies de aves de BirdLife