The silver pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China. It is introduced on Victoria Island in Nahuel Huapi Lake, Neuquén, Argentina and on Vancouver Island, Canada. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown. Both sexes have a bare red face and red legs. It is common in aviculture, and overall also remains common in the wild, but some of its subspecies are rare and threatened.
Region
Southeast Asia and southern/eastern China
Typical Environment
Occurs from eastern and southern China through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, favoring foothill and montane forests. It inhabits evergreen and mixed broadleaf forests with dense understory, especially bamboo thickets and ferny slopes. The species uses forest edges, clearings, and selectively logged areas, and may venture into adjacent plantations. It often keeps to ravines, ridgelines, and areas near streams where cover is abundant.
Altitude Range
0–2600 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 4/5
The silver pheasant is a striking forest galliform of southern China and mainland Southeast Asia, with males showing bold black-and-white plumage and a long, flowing tail. It is widely kept in aviculture and adapts well to large, planted aviaries. In the wild it is typically shy and terrestrial, flushing with a loud wing-whirr when disturbed. Several subspecies exist, some of which are localized and under pressure from habitat loss.
Silver pheasant in captivity. Note the brown patches, typical of sub-adult males
Lophura nycthemera - MHNT
Temperament
wary and ground-oriented
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush; brief gliding
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups; males perform courtship displays with wing-drumming and circling. Nests are shallow scrapes on the ground concealed in dense cover. Clutches are moderate to large, and the female undertakes most incubation while the male stands guard nearby.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, ringing cackles and harsh alarm calls from the understory. Males also produce non-vocal wing-whirring drumming during display, which carries through the forest.
Plumage
Male with finely vermiculated silvery-white upperparts and long white tail, contrasting black underparts and crest; female mostly warm brown with subtle barring. Both sexes have bare red facial skin and red legs. Plumage is smooth and sleek, with elongated tail feathers in males.
Diet
Feeds on seeds, grains, berries, and fallen fruits, supplemented with leaves, shoots, and bamboo seeds when available. Invertebrates such as ants, termites, beetles, and earthworms form an important protein source, especially in breeding season. It scratches through leaf litter and probes soft soil to uncover prey and edible plant matter.
Preferred Environment
Forages primarily on the forest floor in dense understory, along trails, stream margins, and at forest edges. It also uses secondary growth and lightly disturbed habitats, sometimes visiting nearby plantations and clearings.
