Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Edwards's Pheasant

Lophura edwardsi

Edwards's pheasant, known scientifically as Lophura edwardsi, is a striking bird from the family Phasianidae. It is a creature of considerable beauty, with males displaying a predominantly blue-black plumage with a lustrous sheen and a distinctive crest, while females are clothed in more subdued tones of chestnut-brown, lacking the male's crest. The species is further adorned with red legs and facial skin, adding a splash of color to its appearance. The bird's length ranges from 58 to 65 centimeters, a testament to its impressive stature.

Identification Tips

To identify Edwards's pheasant, look for the male's blue-black plumage and crest, and the female's drab brown coloration. The nominate form, L. e. edwardsi, is characterized by a white crest and upper tail, distinguishing it from the northern form, often referred to as the Vietnamese pheasant, which may exhibit a variable number of white rectrices.

Habitat

This pheasant is endemic to the seasonal tropical forests of central Vietnam, where it favors evergreen forests rich with palms and bamboo patches. The dense low vegetation provides excellent cover for these elusive birds.

Distribution

The Edwards's pheasant is found exclusively in central Vietnam, within the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue.

Behaviour

The Edwards's pheasant is known for its secretive nature, often concealing itself within the undergrowth of its forest habitat. It is a non-migratory species, braving the winter months without the need to seek warmer climes.

Song & Calls

The male of the species produces a wing-whirring sound and emits a low guttural alarm call that can be transcribed as "uk uk uk uk uk," or sometimes a more abrupt "puk puk puk puk puk."

Breeding

Breeding season for Edwards's pheasant typically occurs between March and May. Males engage in a display of chest pushing, wing vibrating, and feather erecting to attract a mate. Females are ready to breed at two years of age, reaching peak fertility around ages 4 to 5. They lay clutches of 4 to 7 eggs, which are incubated for approximately 20 to 22 days.

Similar Species

The Vietnamese pheasant, usually considered a northern form of Edwards's pheasant, can be confused with the nominate form but can be differentiated by the number of white rectrices.

Diet and Feeding

While observations in the wild are rare, captive Edwards's pheasants at Denver Zoo are known to consume a diet of mealworms, chopped fruit, greens, and a specially formulated game bird diet.

Conservation status

Edwards's pheasant is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. The wild population is estimated to number between 50 and 249 individuals, primarily of the nominate form. The species has not been confirmed in the wild since 2000, with threats including deforestation, hunting, and historical use of defoliants during the Vietnam War. However, it is faring well in captivity, where it is the focus of ex situ conservation efforts.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

More Pheasants & Allies

A photo of a Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)

Barbary Partridge

Alectoris barbara
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.