Abstract
The Bulwer's wattled pheasant is a seldom seen rarity, even in the wild. It bears considerable resemblance to the Malayan crested fireback in size and structure and dominant coloration. What really distinguishes this species from its relatives is the outrageously bizarre showing of engorged facial wattles that it employs during its ritualistic mating display. The wattles, which are bright blue in color, become engorged with blood during the mating rite and their sky blue protuberance is carried both over the head and down the front of the neck of the bird. The dazzling tail of the cock bird is a massive corona of white and vies with the wattle display in ornamentation and attractiveness. The comparative rarity of these spectacular birds makes them a very desirable subject for the aviculturist who has a dedication to determining their specific needs for propagation. They are expensive to obtain and difficult to propagate. The range of the Bulwer's wattled pheasant seems to be limited to the island of Borneo which is divided between the nations of Indonesia and Malaysia. Dr. Jesus Estudillo Lopez of Mexico City, assisted by Dyak tribesmen, studied and trapped this species during 1973 along the Barito River in Sarawak, which is located on the north-western coast of Borneo. Only a handful of additional importations have been made by dedicated aviculturists who have gone to considerable expense and personal difficulty in introducing this species to aviculture for preservation and captive breeding programs. They have been successfully raised in captivity by only a few, the best results seeming to occur when the birds are maintained in aviaries that closely approximate their native environment, being heavily planted with bamboo and provided with the heat and humidity that would mimic...