Germain's peacock-pheasant facts for kids

The Germain's peacock-pheasant (scientific name: Polyplectron germaini) is a beautiful bird found only in a part of Southeast Asia called Indochina. It's a type of pheasant, known for its amazing feathers. This bird was named after Louis Rodolphe Germain, a French army vet who worked in the region a long time ago.

Quick facts for kids Germain's peacock-pheasant
male
female
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Polyplectron
Species:	germaini

What Does the Germain's Peacock-Pheasant Look Like?

This pheasant is a medium-sized bird, about 60 centimetres (24 in) long. It has dark brown feathers with small, light spots. You might notice its short crest on its head and bright red skin around its eyes. Its eyes are brown.

A special feature of this bird is the purplish-blue "eye-spots," called ocelli, on its upper body and on half of its tail feathers. The male has twenty tail feathers. Both male and female birds look quite similar. However, the female is a bit smaller and has eighteen tail feathers.

Where Does the Germain's Peacock-Pheasant Live?

The Germain's peacock-pheasant lives only in southern Indochina. This area includes parts of mid-southern Vietnam and far eastern Cambodia. These birds prefer to live in seasonal tropical forests. A great place to spot them is in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Female Germain's peacock-pheasants usually lay two creamy-white eggs. They build their nests in their forest habitat.

Why is the Germain's Peacock-Pheasant Important?

Scientists study the Germain's peacock-pheasant to understand its "family tree" and how it relates to other pheasants. It seems to be closely related to the grey peacock-pheasant, as well as the bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant and mountain peacock-pheasant. This bird might even be one of the oldest types of peacock-pheasants in its group, having developed its unique features millions of years ago.

What is Being Done to Protect This Bird?

Sadly, the Germain's peacock-pheasant is facing challenges. Its natural home is shrinking because of human activities like logging and farming. Also, it only lives in a small area. Because of these threats, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists it as "Near Threatened." This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it.

It is also listed on Appendix II of CITES. CITES is an international agreement that controls the trade of wild animals and plants. Being on Appendix II means that trading these birds (or parts of them) is allowed only under special conditions to make sure it doesn't threaten their survival.