| Copper pheasant | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Syrmaticus |
| Species: | S. soemmerringii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Syrmaticus soemmerringii (Temminck, 1830)
| |
The copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii), also known as Soemmerring's pheasant or yamadori (ヤマドリ),[2] is a pheasant endemic to the Japanese archipelago. The scientific name commemorates the German scientist Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring. It is the official bird of multiple Japanese prefectures, cities, and towns. It was commonly hunted for sport throughout the 20th century.
Its populations has been in consistent decline since the 1970's due to factors including habitat destruction and predation, but the most widely cited cause is overhunting.
- ^ BirdLife International 2016.
- ^ Johnsgard 1999, p. 269.