Crestless fireback  (Lophura erythrophthalma)

Like all fireback pheasants, the crestless fireback possesses impressive facial decorations that play an important part in courtship displays, in this species a striking scarlet coloured facial skin. Males are a glossy purplish-black colour, finely vermiculated with silvery grey on their upperparts and sides, with a deep red rump and caramel tail (3) (4) (5). The rump colouration is similar to the glowing embers of a fire, which is how the species acquired its name (6). The female has a glossy dark purplish to greenish-blue back (4) with greyish brown head and buff throat (5). Juveniles resemble females but with rusty-tipped body feathers (4), with young males assuming the adult plumage at the age of four months (3). The males of the Bornean subspecies have fine white feather shafts on the body and breast. Unlike most pheasant species, the females also have leg spurs. When displaying, the male expands his red facial wattles which also elevate to form two small ‘horns' (2).