Elliot's pheasant ( Syrmaticus ellioti ) is a bird of the family Phasianidae. It is one of the sturdiest yet at the same time most timid birds of its genus, and it has fully developed powers of flight.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae |
| Genus | Syrmaticus |
| Species | Syrmaticus ellioti |
Elliot's pheasant (Syrmaticus ellioti) is a bird of the family Phasianidae. It is one of the sturdiest yet at the same time most timid birds of its genus, and it has fully developed powers of flight. Its name was given in recognition of the American ornithologist Daniel Giraud Elliot. It is endemic to China, where it lives in evergreen forests and mountains in the south-east of the country, at altitudes of up to 1,900 m.
It inhabits evergreen forests and mountainous areas of south-eastern China, at altitudes that can reach 1,900 metres above sea level.
Its diet consists mainly of seeds, leaves and berries found in the understorey of its forest habitat.
The courtship display begins in April, and sexual maturity is reached from the first year of life. The female lays a clutch of roughly 6 to 9 eggs, which she incubates for about 24–26 days; she is a very effective incubator and natural rearing does not usually present problems.
Owing to the continuing loss of its forest habitat and hunting for human consumption, Elliot's pheasant is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, although it breeds relatively easily in captivity.
