#mikado pheasant

MIKADO PHEASANT
Syrmaticus mikado
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©Robert tdcbottom

The Mikado pheasant is endemic to mountainous regions of Taiwan. The female is brown but the male is notable for his beautiful blue-purple plumage.

The species occupies dense shrubs, bamboo growth and grassy terrain with conifer over story in central and southern Taiwan, at elevations from 6,500-10,500 feet /2000 to 3200 meters above sea level.

There are some Mikado pheasants bred in captivity, but there are only about 10,000 individuals in the wild, particularly in the Yushan National Park. (Note: Yushan and the Mikado Pheasant are pictured on the Taiwanese 1,000 Dollar bill.)

Heavy hunting pressure was a problem in the past, but is not a serious threat today. The Mikado pheasant is evaluated as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES. source