Abstract: We examined the activity patterns and time budget for a recently discovered population of the Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) in Ziyun County, Guizhou Province. This new distribution location is a result of its range expansion. We conducted a monitoring program by infrared cameras for the pheasant from January 2021 to February 2022. A total of 46 infrared cameras were set and 508 independent effective photos with 570 individuals of S. humiae were observed during 12664 working days. The differences in daily activity rhythm and seasonal difference of S. humiae were analyzed by kernel density estimation and coefficient of overlap. Based on the analysis on the infrared camera data, the ground behavior of the pheasant showed that S. humiae was a diurnal bird. All activities of the Hume’s Pheasant occurred between 06:00-20:00 with two diurnal peak periods of ground activity at 07:00-09:00 and 17:00-19:00 for both female and male individuals. There was no significant difference in daily activity intensity between breeding season and non-breeding season (P>0.05). Activities of the pheasant mainly included foraging and wandering, with time allocations of the two activities being 47.32% and 34.23% in males and 56.76% and 27.76% in females, respectively. There was a significant difference in the relative activity intensity across months (P<0.05), which generally peaked in October. Flocks comprised of two individual pheasants, especially a male and a female, were the major flock type occupying 73.81% of the total. Flock types were significantly different between breeding season and non-breeding season (P<0.01). The results provide a scientific reference for the conservation and management of the Hume’s Pheasant in this area and for the subsequent ecological research on this species.

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