| Siamese fireback | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Lophura |
| Species: | L. diardi |
| Binomial name | |
| Lophura diardi (Bonaparte, 1856) | |
TheSiamese fireback (Lophura diardi), also known asDiard's fireback, is a fairly large, approximately 80 cm (31 in) long,pheasant. The male has a grey plumage with an extensive facialcaruncle, crimson legs and feet, ornamental black crest feathers, reddish browniris and long curved blackish tail. The female is a brown bird with blackish wings and tail feathers.
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The Siamese fireback is distributed to the lowland and evergreen forests ofCambodia,Laos,Thailand, andVietnam inSoutheast Asia. However, in June 2025, the bird was spotted naturally in the forest area ofRanikhet, a popular tourist destination inUttarakhand,India.[2] This species is also designated as Thailand'snational bird. The female usually lays between four and eight rosy eggs.
The scientific name commemorates theFrenchnaturalistPierre-Médard Diard.
This species of pheasant has a common name in ThaiKai Fah Phaya Lo (Thai:ไก่ฟ้าพญาลอ; Lord Lo's pheasant), according to Thai folk literature,Lilit Phra Lo where Phra Lo, the protagonist, is charmed by following the pheasant until he meets Phra Phuean and Phra Phaeng, the two sisters and later his lovers.[3]
Due to habitat loss and over-hunting in some areas, the Siamese fireback was evaluated as Near Threatened on theIUCN Red List; however, it is now Least Concern.[1]
