Description
Bulwer's Pheasant is sexually dimorphic. Males (c.80 cm) 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.55 cm) are an overall dull brown colour with red legs and blue facial skin. It was named after Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer, Governor of Labuan 1871-1875, who presented the type specimen to the British Museum.
Distribution and Habitat
The Bulwer's Pheasant is endemic to the island of Borneo. 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.
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.
Captivity
This species is very rarely kept in zoos. The only western zoo to currently house the species is San Diego Zoo which keeps a pair of these birds. Walsrode Bird Park in Germany has kept the birds as recently as 2003, and Antwerp Zoo, Belgium, has bred the birds. Antwerp Zoo has been very successful with many of the lophura genus.
