Crossoptilon mantchuricum

Brown-eared pheasant is a special rare bird in China, which is listed as a national first-class protected animal. It is only found in Luliang Mountain, Shanxi Province and northwest Hebei Province, and there are about 2,000 birds at present. It mainly inhabits forest areas dominated by secondary forests of Larix principis-rupprechtii and Picea, and secondary coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests of Larix principis-rupprechtii, Picea, Poplar and Birch. Morphological characteristics Brown-eared pheasant is about 60 cm in height, 1 -1.2 m in body length and 5 kg in weight. Its whole body is dark brown, its head and neck are gray-black, and its head is crowned with short fluffy black feathers. Its face and cheeks are bare and featherless, and it is bright red. A pair of white angular feather clusters on the side of its head protrude out of its head, just like a small white bib. What brown eared pheasant likes to show off most is its striking tail feathers. There are 22 tail feathers, and the long feathers are arranged in pairs. The two pairs in the center are very long and big, and they are called "Majiling", and the outer feathers hang freely like hair and droop. Usually, it is high above other tail feathers, and it looks like a ponytail when it falls freely, so it is called "brown horse line". The whole tail feather of brown eared pheasant tilts backward, which looks like a harp, which is very beautiful. Short wings, not good at flying, can only glide down from the mountain, strong legs, good at running. The whole body feathers are dark brown, and there is black fluff on the top of the head. The mouth is pink, the face is bright red, there is a white collar behind the eyes, and two clusters of white fluff stand out behind the head, like white horns, hence the name "horn chicken", with a fluffy tail that looks like a ponytail and a purple-blue light; The beak is short and sharp.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)