The Brown-eared Pheasant is a large pheasant of mountain forests in northeastern China. It eats roots, bulbs and other plant matter.
It has a dark brown body, a black crown and red facial skin, with long white feathers behind the eyes.
Brown Eared Pheasants are endemic to China, with long white cheek tufts resembling ears. They breed in coniferous or mixed forests and also use scrub at south-facing forest edges in winter.
At a Beijing wildlife rescue and breeding centre, one captive male and one female were filmed in April–June and October 2014. The 2015 study compared 15 analysed days from the breeding period with 15 October days, recording feeding, movement, rest and vigilance.
During the egg-laying period, the female spent about 32% of observed time foraging, including drinking, compared with about 6% for the male. In October the figures were about 29% and 24%, respectively. The difference between the two birds narrowed as their daily time budgets changed.
IUCN Red List · Least Concern · Global
The 2024 IUCN global assessment lists Brown Eared Pheasant as Least Concern with a stable trend. Forest recovery is considered beneficial, while local declines in Xiaowutaishan have been linked to recreational disturbance. Continued habitat restoration, protected-area safeguards and population monitoring are recommended.