Polyplectron schleiermacheri
The Bornean Peacock-Pheasant, Polyplectron schleiermacheri, is a strikingly beautiful and exceedingly rare galliform, endemic to the island of Borneo. Males are distinguished by their vibrant, iridescent metallic green-blue ocelli (eye-spots) on their reddish-brown upperparts and tail feathers, which measure approximately 50-55 cm in length including the long, graduated tail. Their head and neck are greyish, accented by a prominent white supercilium, white throat, and distinctive red facial s...
Inhabits primary and selectively logged lowland and hill dipterocarp forests. Typically found at elevations below 600 meters, though sometimes recorded up to 1200 meters.
Omnivorous, primarily feeding on invertebrates such as ants, termites, beetles, and grubs, as well as small amphibians, reptiles, seeds, and fallen fruits found by scratching through leaf litter.
This extremely shy and solitary species is primarily diurnal, spending its days foraging covertly on the forest floor, often detected only by its distinctive calls. At night, individuals typically roost in the lower branches of trees. Males are known for their elaborate courtship displays, fannin...
The Bornean Peacock-Pheasant is strictly endemic to the island of Borneo, its distribution historically spanning across Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo), Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), and Brunei. Currently, its range is severely fragmented and drastically reduced, largely confined to isolated pockets...
Critically Endangered
- The Bornean Peacock-Pheasant is considered one of the world's most elusive and least-known pheasant species, with very few documented sightings in the wild. - Its scientific name, *schleiermacheri*, honors Hermann Schleiermacher, a German zoologist. - The male's iridescent ocelli are so vivid t...