Blue Eared-Pheasant

A striking, crow-sized bird of alpine and subalpine zones in central China, typically encountered in mixed conifer-rhododendron scrub and open meadows between 2,500 and 4,500 metres elevation, where small groups forage methodically across the ground for roots, bulbs, and invertebrates. Look for the bold white ear tufts, steel-blue body plumage, and bright red facial skin that make this bird unmistakable even at a distance, and listen for the loud, raucous cackling calls that groups exchange, particularly in early morning. Late spring through summer offers the most reliable sightings, when birds are active in more open terrain and breeding-season calling increases their detectability along high-altitude trails and forest edges.