Bulwer's Pheasant

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Bulwer's Pheasant

Bulwer's Pheasant, Lophura bulweri

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Phasianidae
Genus:	Lophura
Species:	L. bulweri

Binomial name

Lophura bulweri
(Sharpe, 1874)

Bulwer's Pheasant (Lophura bulweri) is also known as Bulwer's Wattled Pheasant, the Wattled Pheasant, or the White-tailed Wattled Pheasant. It is a Southeast Asian bird in the Phasianidae family; endemic to the forests of Borneo. The species is currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

1 Description
2 Distribution and Habitat
3 Status
4 Taxonomy
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Description

Bulwer's Pheasant is sexually dimorphic. Males (c.80cm) are black-plumaged with a maroon breast, crimson legs, a pure white tail of long, curved feathers, and bright blue facial skin with two wattles that conceal the sides of its head. Females (c.55cm) are an overall dull brown color with red legs and blue facial skin.

[edit] Distribution and Habitat

The Bulwer's Pheasant is endemic to the island of Borneo; it is only found in regions of Indonesia (i.e. Kalimantan), Brunei, and Malaysia (i.e. Sabah and Sarawak). While the species is locally common in protected areas (e.g. Kayan Mentarang National Park, Kalimantan) it is rarely found elsewhere. The bird inhabits Montane tropical forest, likely preferring highland rainforests and rarely visiting the lowlands. The diet consists mainly of fruits, worms, and insects.

[edit] Status

Bulwer's Pheasant is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to a rapidly declining population. The primary reasons for this decline are habitat loss and fragmentation due to commercial logging and forest fires. Local hunting is also thought to undermine the birds population. Further, captive breeding programs aimed at preserving the species have met with little success^[1].

[edit] Taxonomy

Bulwer's pheasant belongs to the order Galliformes, in the Phasianidae family. The family name Lophura is derived from the Greek word lophos for ridge, crest or tuft. The species name bulweri was named after the English naturalist James Bulwer.