Palawan Peacock-Pheasant, A Striking Bird With Iridescent Blue-Green Plumage And Mohawk (10 Pics)

The Palawan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis) is an outstanding bird. It has iridescent blue-green plumage and Mohawk, making them conspicuous whenever they are. The black underparts and white stripes above (and below) the eyes also create more charm for this creature.

Male 50 cm, female 40 cm. Dark peacock-pheasant. Sexually dimorphic. Male has pointed, dark crest, bare red orbital skin, white supercilium and patch on ear-coverts. Black rest of head and underparts. Shiny blue-green mantle, wing-coverts and tertials with darker feather-bases. Black back, rump and tail, speckled buff with two rows of large green-blue ocelli on tail. Female is smaller, duller, generally brown with indistinct buff markings and off-white throat, ear-coverts and supercilium. Similar spp. Female similar to Philippine Scrubfowl Megapodius cumingii or female Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus, but is shorter-legged, longer-tailed and more uniform brown. Voice Loud angk repeated regularly. Hints Extremely shy, best located by call.