The Siamese fireback, also known as Diard's fireback, is a fairly large, approximately 80 cm (31 in) long, pheasant. The male has a grey plumage with an extensive facial caruncle, crimson legs and feet, ornamental black crest feathers, reddish brown iris and long curved blackish tail. The female is a brown bird with blackish wings and tail feathers.
Region
Mainland Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland and foothill forests of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Prefers evergreen and semi-evergreen forests with dense understory, often near bamboo thickets and forest edges. Commonly uses secondary growth and selectively logged areas if sufficient cover remains. It forages mainly on the forest floor but retreats to thicker cover when disturbed. Roosting typically takes place in trees to avoid predators.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Siamese fireback, also called Diard’s fireback, is Thailand’s national bird and was described in the early 19th century by Pierre-Médard Diard. Males perform dramatic courtship displays with wing-whirring and crest-raising while circling females. This species is a ground-dwelling pheasant that roosts in trees at night and relies on dense forest understory for cover.
Head
Lophura diardi
Temperament
wary but can be confiding near protected areas
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush from the ground
Social Behavior
Often seen in pairs or small groups, typically a male with several females. The male courts with wing-whirring, crest-raising, and circling displays. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden under dense vegetation; chicks are precocial and follow the hen soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male gives loud ringing whistles and clear, carrying notes, often at dawn. It also produces wing-whirr displays and sharp alarm calls when disturbed.
Plumage
Male is smooth grey with glossy black wings and long curved black tail, bearing an ornamental black crest and prominent red facial caruncles; female is warm brown with darker wings and tail and fine mottling.
Diet
Feeds on seeds, fruits, tender shoots, and a variety of invertebrates such as insects, worms, and small snails. It scratches through leaf litter to uncover food and will take fallen fruits seasonally. Opportunistic foraging includes small vertebrates on rare occasions.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest floors, trails, and edges with dense cover nearby. Frequently uses bamboo patches and secondary growth where leaf litter accumulates. Moves to thicker understory when threatened.
