Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/7/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi Roger, we are trying to identify a bird mount that was given to a family member.  Do you have any ideas what it may be?  I appreciate your time and willingness to share your expertise.  Thanks

ANSWER: It is a Brown Eared Pheasant, Crossoptilon mantchuricum. It is a large, up to 100 cm long, dark brown pheasant of mountain forests of northern China. It has stiff white ear feather coverts behind the eyes, which look like a moustache. The crown is black with red bare facial skin and its tail of twenty-two elongated white feathers is curved, loose and dark-tipped. Both sexes are similar in plumage.


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QUESTION: Is there any value in this mount?  We would like to sell it and have no idea its value or if people collect items such as this. Thank you so much for your time.

Answer
I don't really know if there is any value, but I doubt it. These are common birds kept in zoos and captivity. It would depend on the history of the mount. There are sometimes restrictions on selling wildlife mounts as well. Again it depends on the history of the bird. Similar mounts are selling on e-bay for $25-$100.