FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
If you are looking to study beautiful avian species from the continent of Asia, then you must read about the great argus pheasant. These pheasants are the largest amongst their types and are known for their stunning eye-shaped patterns on their tail feathers and wings. They actually derive their name due to these eye patterns from the folklores of Greek mythology. Argus Panoptes was actually a Greek giant who had a thousand eyes. Speaking of giants, the male great argus is quite a giant itself in regards to its tail which is the longest of any avian creatures. These pheasants have three subspecies with one of them being the now-extinct doubled-banded argus. The other two subspecies are the Malay Peninsula great argus and the Borneo great argus. So, if you want to read more about these pheasants, scroll down to read some interesting information about them. For facts and info on other avians, take a look at the Indian peafowl and the peahen.
The great argus pheasant (Argusianus argus) is the biggest type of pheasant present on the planet. These birds are known for their patterned wings and feathers, long tail feathers, and beautiful plumage.
Being a pheasant bird, it belongs to the class of Aves and the order Galliformes.
While there are some reports that have estimated that the total number of great argus pheasants in the wild can range up to 100,000 individuals, the data might be inaccurate. Owing to the loss of forest habitats and rampant hunting from forests, the species of birds have faced a sharp decline in their population.
The great argus pheasant can be found in the forest areas of various countries in Southeast Asia. These areas include Sumatra and Borneo. Along with Sumatra and Borneo, they are also found in different forests in the Malay Peninsula. Apart from these places, the great argus pheasant species have found their way into various zoos and enclosures around the world. Usually, in the wild, these birds prefer to live at around 4000ft above sea level.
A lot of research has been done in regards to the habitat 0f the great argus pheasant. This species of birds mainly inhabit the lowland tropical forests of places like Borneo, in Asia. These birds are known to have home ranges that are relatively small and vary between one and three hectares. The males are known for their particular routines within these home ranges. In their home ranges, males will often clear out spaces in the forest floor. Interestingly, you will not find a high number of these birds living in secondary forests, that were both old and young. Although this species can be seen throughout the day, they are somewhat crepuscular in nature. This means that the great argus pheasant is primarily active during the hours of dawn and dusk.
The great argus pheasant is thought to be a solitary bird who is also very territorial in nature. They are not seen living around with other great argus birds. Males tend to get very aggressive when other male birds invade their territories.
Great argus pheasants have not really been studied when it comes down to the lifespan of these birds in the wild. However, many zoos around the world have recorded the age of these pheasants. Both males and females are have been reported to live for around 20 years in captivity. According to sources, the longest living great argus pheasant was believed to have been a male who died at the age of 33 years.
The reproduction and breeding between the males and the females of the great argus tend to pique the interest of researchers and scientists. The breeding season of the great argus has no set times. The males clear out an area in the forest that becomes their breeding site. Females are attracted to the males by the distinct argus pheasant call. Only one male inhabits a single breeding site. Once the females make their way to this breeding site, the male bird will try to woo the female through certain physical displays. The male great argus dances around the male with the tail feathers and wings spread. They spread their wings to reveal hundreds of eye-like patterns on the tail feathers and the wing feathers. A female great argus pheasant chooses the male bird with the prettiest and brightest feathers.
Once the mating is over, females lay one or two eggs per clutch. The female great argus will incubate these eggs for a period of up to four weeks. After that, the eggs hatch, and the baby great argus emerges. Following the eggs hatching, the chicks are protected by the female from predators and they are the ones who take care of the chick's diet.
A great argus is thought to sexually mature between the ages of two and three. It has also been observed that within a year of their lives, the young birds leave their mothers and wander off to live alone.
Unfortunately, loss of habitat and excessive hunting, especially for its feathers, has led the great argus to be listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
The great argus pheasants (Argusianus argus) are beautiful birds with distinct patterns on their tail feathers and wings. Males are prettier and more colored than females. They have a brown plumage filled with black spots and patterns, with males having them much more than females. In contrast to the dark brown or rusty plumage, the heads of the great argus pheasants have a blue coloration. Adding more to the color contrast are the yellow beaks and red feet. These birds are also guilty of having beautiful eyes that are a mixture of red and brown. In keeping with the beautiful eyes, these birds have even more stunning eye-like patterns on their tails and wings. These birds are thought to develop the patterns in their third year of life.
While they might get aggressive over territories, the great argus is actually pretty cute. The wonderful coloration and patterns on their bodies along with their adorable and astonishing mating dance make these birds a sight to behold.
The great argus communicates through calls and physical displays. Their calls are very loud and can be heard from at least a mile away. This makes the pheasants an easy target for predators despite the birds remaining hidden within the forest.
The great argus is the biggest among the group of pheasants. The birds are known to measure between 63 and 79in with a tail of 41 to 56in. Astoundingly, the total length of the tail is almost three-quarters of the entire body length. In comparison, the crested argus is almost three times smaller than the great argus.
Due to their notoriety for being well-hidden in the forest vegetation, there are no substantial reports on the total speed of the argus pheasant. These birds have been primarily seen foraging on the ground even though they possess the ability to fly.
Being the largest species of pheasants, this avian species weighs around 3.5 to 6lb.
For this species, male pheasants are referred to as cocks while female pheasants are known as hens.
Going by the usual naming convention, young pheasants are known as chicks.
Being omnivores in nature, these pheasants are known to include a variety of things in their diet. Primarily insects and small invertebrates constitute their food. However, these birds can also survive on seeds, plants, leaves, and stems in their diet. The great argus is a species of opportunistic feeders and does not have any fixed or specific diet plans.
These pheasants can be quite aggressive while defending their territories during the breeding season.
No, due to their status of being vulnerable in the wild, this bird will not make for a great pet. Moreover, while kept in captivity, it will need a large enclosure that mimics the native habitat of this bird.
Interestingly, even if their displays and mating behavior suggest that the great argus is actually a polygamous bird, later research has shown them to be monogamous in nature.
Great argus pheasants are sexually dimorphic with the males being significantly bigger than the females.
The great argus also has the distinction of having no oil glands in their bodies.
This species of pheasants are famous for their calls, especially during the breeding season. Their call can be described as a loud 'kow-wow' which can be heard from a distance of at least a mile.
Despite the pheasants spending the majority of their lives on the ground, you may be surprised to know that the argus pheasant can actually fly.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including the black-necked stilt and the marbled murrelet.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our Argus pheasant coloring pages.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_avocet
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Avocet/id#
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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