The Siamese fireback, commonly referred to as Diard’s fireback, is a large pheasant that measures around 80 cm in length. The male has a long, curled, blackish tail and grey plumage with a large face caruncle, red legs and feet, ornate black crest feathers, and reddish brown eyes. Brown with blackish wing and tail feathers, the female is a bird.
Siamese firebacks are categorised as such omnivorous. They are known to consume invertebrates and mealworms in addition to fruits and berries. They might still become vegetarians, though; studies show that they consume more vegetation than other fireback types.
In Southeast Asia’s lowland and evergreen forests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, siamese fireback is dispersed. This species is also recognised as Thailand’s national bird. Typically, the female lays four to eight pink eggs.
The name was given scientifically to honour French naturalist Pierre-Médard Diard. Female Silver Pheasants with similar plumage lack noticeable wing barring. Males use loud whistles to entice ladies.
Amazingly coloured terrestrial bird found in lowland and foothill broadleaf woodlands; most frequently seen in the morning along roadsides and pathways. Blue-gray male with a long, glossy tail and a crimson face. It’s challenging to discern the name-bearing “fire back,” a patch of vivid, iridescent colouring on the rump. Brown female with a tiny red skin patch on her face and wings with black and white bands.
Siamese Fireback Pheasant Breeding pair
The Siamede Fireback pheasant male has a beautiful appearance. Its body is primarily blue/black with a metallic sheen that is common in pheasants. Copper-colored on the lower breast, the back is a deeper shade of reddish brown. They have a broad, vertically curving tail that is cream at the top and contrasts with black that is the same bluish shade as the body. Bright blue wattles on the face expand to twice their normal size when the bird is performing.
The hen’s face is blue as well. In contrast to the Vieillot’s hen, which has red legs, the Bornean’s legs are greyish in colour. She has a brown body with white streaks on her breast.
Siamese Fireback Pheasant Breeding season
The bird lives in lowlands with moist, evergreen forests in the subtropics or the tropics. The Malay Crestless Fireback forages all day long by tearing up fallen leaves and devouring the exposed termites, ticks, and grubs. Additionally, it eats fallen fruit and vegetable debris.
Siamese Fireback Pheasant Breeding Box
Their primary habitat is old growth forest, which is frequently found near rivers and streams. However, they have also been observed in logged, disturbed, and secondary forests, which can be found anywhere from lowland areas up to 1000 m above sea level. Swamp forests are not known to be where they live.
There are different subspecies:
- Tarim Pheasant or Tarim Basin Pheasant
- Kobdo Ring-necked Pheasant or Grey-rumped Pheasant
- Manchurian Ring-necked Pheasant
- Korean Ring-necked Pheasant
- Shansi Pheasant
- Alashan Pheasant
- Gobi Ring-necked Pheasant
- Satchu Ring-necked Pheasant
- Zaidan Pheasant
- Sohokhoto Pheasant
- Sungpan Pheasant
- Stone’s Pheasant
- Rothschild’s Pheasant
- Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant
- Taiwan Ring-necked Pheasant or Formosan Ring-necked Pheasant
you can also check Blue eared Pheasant
you can also check Salvadoris Pheasant
Siamese Fireback Pheasant Food
Their main sources of food are various insects, leaves, plants, seeds, and fruits like figs.
you can also check Crestless Fireback Pheasant
Siamese Fireback Pheasant Breeding Video
pheasant sound
What is Siamese fireback in Thai language?
According to Thai folk literature, Lilit Phra Lo, this type of pheasant is known as Kai Fah Phaya Lo (Thai: ; Lord Lo’s pheasant), where Phra Lo, the protagonist, is fascinated by chasing the pheasant till he encounters Phra Phuean and Phra Phaeng, the two sisters who would eventually become his loves.