2015 Bonanza Bird #24: Bulwer's Pheasant

Our Birdorable Bonanza: 2015 Advent Edition is starting to wind down. Today, on Christmas Eve, we reveal our second-to-last Bonanza bird: the Bulwer's Pheasant!

Bulwer's Pheasant

Bulwer's Pheasants are wildly plumaged chicken-sized birds endemic to Borneo in southeast Asia. They are found in highland tropical forest habitat, where they feed on ants, termites, seeds, and more. This species has several alternate names, including Bulwer's Wattled Pheasant, Bulwer's Fireback, and White-tailed Wattled Pheasant.

Bulwer's Pheasants exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism -- male and female plumage varies significantly. Male Bulwer's Pheasants, like our cute Birdorable version here, have an unmistakable plumage. They have long and puffy white tails. They also have amazing bright blue facial wattles which can be distended during mating rituals. Females, however, have a mostly dull brown plumage.

Photo of a Bulwer's Pheasant
Drawing of a Bulwer's Pheasant

We've almost reached the end of our 25 day Bonanza! Tomorrow's bird is is a small owl that lives in the United States and Canada with a somewhat Christmasy name. Can you guess what it is?

Comments

ƲσƖcαяσηα ウルガモス (White-throated Sparrow) on December 24, 2015 at 1:34 PM wrote:
OMGG ITS SO PRETTYYYY... The bonanza was great, but what I didn't like was that there weren't too many songbirds (I'm a big fan of those), and birodrable got the 2 most-needed woodpeckers. Maybe Elf or Boreal Owl...
Thomas Mayer on December 25, 2015 at 10:49 PM wrote:
Snowy Owl.
Spurwing Plover on February 25, 2016 at 2:02 AM wrote:
In almost any case with birds its the male who is more colorful then the female like with the Birds of Paradise
Heather Richards on October 6, 2016 at 6:50 PM wrote:
This bird has a ponytail!!!!!(I'm a big fan of those). I have my hair in a ponytail every day!
I love Falcons on December 26, 2016 at 12:26 PM wrote:
ELF OWL!
Louise Warner on February 27, 2017 at 7:30 AM wrote:
it's clearly an elf owl!
Heather Richards on March 9, 2017 at 3:32 PM wrote:
..........."They also have bright blue ponytails which can be patooped (flipped, like hair) during sistering"............... I am going to flip my hair in ponytails painted blue and see if anyone wants to be my sister, or if someone thinks my hair is so beautiful that they want to be my sister! Or if they want to take me home.
Heather Richards on May 5, 2018 at 9:46 PM wrote:
ELF OWL!!!!! I love owls!
Spurwing Plover on November 16, 2020 at 10:04 PM wrote:
Q.What do Owls like to Read? A.Who done its
Dav Pond on November 23, 2020 at 8:18 PM wrote:
I love that i love owls
Ramesh Simhadri on May 6, 2025 at 12:56 AM wrote:
ELF OWL!!!!!! I LOVE OWLS!
CHETRANEKA SHRI on May 13, 2025 at 12:15 AM wrote:
I LOVE ALL BIRDS WHAT ALL YOU LIKE
Chetraneka Shri Peacock on May 8, 2026 at 4:48 AM wrote:
HO SO YOU GUYS DON'T LIKE

Leave a comment

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.
Your email address will not be published
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

Meet the Siberian Sand Plover: A Migratory Marvel

Today's flashy new shorebird is known for breeding in remote parts of Siberia -- it's the Siberian Sand-Plover! The Siberian Sand-Plover, known by several other names, including the Lesser Sand Plover, is a small, chunky wading bird that breeds in the high-altitude tundra of Siberia and Central...

Keeping Cool: How Birds Handle Hot Weather

When temperatures rise, birds have to work hard to keep cool. Unlike humans, birds don't sweat. So how do they survive the summer heat? Birds have evolved several clever ways to regulate their body temperature and stay safe when the sun is blazing. One of...

A Tale of Two Tanagers: Brown Tanager & Brown-flanked Tanager

Two of our newest birds here at Birdorable are the Brown Tanager and Brown-flanked Tanager. The two different species may seem similar at first glance due to their names, but they have distinct characteristics, ranges, habits, and habitats. Let's dive into the details of these two...

May is Warbler Neck Awareness Month!

May is Warbler Neck Awareness Month. Warbler Neck (WN) Awareness is promoted with a cerulean blue awareness ribbon, one side of which is transformed into a feather,...