White eared pheasants (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) are a species of "eared pheasants" and get their name because they are white and have the prominent ear tufts of the genus, not because they have white ears. Male and female are similar, the adult female is only distinguished from the male by the absence of spurs. The head is covered with short, curly black feathers. The ear-coverts are moderately extended, forming white tufts. The bare parts of the head are scarlet. Its upper and under parts are white. The plumage of the tail is bronze at the base and shading into dark greenish blue and deep purple towards the extremity. The longer wing coverts are grey. The primaries are dark brown, the secondaries blacker, glossed with purple. The legs are long. It is native to China, where it is found in southeastern Tibet, western Szechuan, southern Qinghai, and northwestern Yunnan. White Eared Pheasants are called Shagga by indigenous Himalayan peoples. Shagga means Snow Fowl. Shagga are very gregarious birds, living in large flocks which forage on alpine meadow close to or above the snowline throughout the year.
See also: Blue eared pheasant, Brown eared pheasant
