Argusianus argus
The Great Argus, *Argusianus argus*, is an astonishingly large and ornate pheasant, renowned for its spectacular courtship display. Males can reach an impressive length of 160-200 cm, including their extraordinary secondary wing and central tail feathers, weighing between 1.8-2.7 kg. Their plumage is a complex array of brown, buff, and black patterns, but their most distinctive feature is the incredibly elongated secondary flight feathers, adorned with numerous iridescent blue-black 'ocelli' ...
Found primarily in dense, undisturbed lowland and hill primary rainforests, occasionally venturing into mature secondary growth. It typically inhabits elevations up to 1,300 meters.
Primarily omnivorous, foraging for a variety of food items including fallen fruits, seeds, ants, termites, beetles, snails, small snakes, and lizards. Food is mainly acquired by scratching and digging in the forest floor litter.
Great Argus are largely solitary and secretive birds, active during daylight hours and roosting in trees at night. They forage by scratching and digging through leaf litter on the forest floor, using their strong feet to unearth food. Males are fiercely territorial, clearing a circular display ar...
The Great Argus is endemic to Southeast Asia, with its distribution spanning the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Two recognized subspecies exist: *Argusianus argus argus* is found in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, while *Argusianus argus grayi* inhabits Borneo, including parts of Malaysia...
Vulnerable
- The Great Argus possesses the longest secondary flight feathers of any bird, reaching up to 1 meter in length in males. - The 'ocelli' or eye-spots on the male's wing feathers are so realistic that they are believed to mimic the eyes of a larger creature, possibly to deter predators or impress ...