Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
high |
Land-mass type |
shelf island
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The global population size of this species has not previously been formally estimated. Brazil (2009) speculated that the population likely numbered 100-10,000 breeding pairs, although even this maximum value may have been overly pessimistic. Bridgman (2002) suggested that Yushan National Park may host 10,000 birds alone based on densities of 58 and 48 pheasants/km2 in primary and secondary forest respectively. Even precautionarily assuming only 25% of suitable habitat (estimated by Bridgman [2002] to cover c.6,500 km2), the population likely numbers tens of thousands of mature individuals. The population size is therefore estimated here to number 20,000-100,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification: There are no contemporary population trend data for this species. Bridgman (2002) identified declines in encounter rate at one site of secondary forest in the 1990s, in tandem with an increase in poaching events. However, seasonal weather variation at least partially confounds these data and there is no widespread or more recent indication that this species is declining in response to poaching. The only other plausible threat, forest loss, does not appear to be an active one. Between 2000 and 2021, forest cover loss in this species' range declined by <1% (Savini et al. 2021, Global Forest Watch 2022), a value within the range of variation caused by landslides etc. Consequently, and in the absence of other threats thought capable of driving an ongoing decline in this species, its trend is suspected to be stable.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Mikado Pheasant Syrmaticus mikado. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/mikado-pheasant-syrmaticus-mikado on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.