Pheasant Fowling Showing how to catch Pheasants Fac simile of a Miniature in the Manuscript of the Livre du Roy Modus Fourteenth Century

Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular gamebirds. The family is a large one ...

in the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

Galliformes Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are ofte ...

. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia. The classification "pheasant" is

paraphyletic In taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In ...

, as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamilies Phasianinae and Pavoninae, and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey (formerly classified in Perdicinae, Tetraoninae, and

Meleagridinae Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes, in the family Phasianidae. Grouse are presently assigned to the tribe Tetraonini (formerly the subfamily Tetraoninae and the family Tetraonidae), a classification supported by mitochondri ...

) than to other pheasants. Pheasants are characterised by strong

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most an ...

, males being highly decorated with bright

colour Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

s and adornments such as wattles. Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing the young. A pheasant's call or cry can be recognised due to the fact it sounds like a rusty sink or valve being turned. Pheasants eat mostly seeds, grains, roots, and berries, while in the summer they take advantage of insects, fresh green shoots, spiders, earthworms, and snails. However, as an introduced species, in the UK they are a threat to endangered native adders. The best-known is the

common pheasant The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus'') is a bird in the pheasant family ( Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Georgia), a countr ...

, which is widespread throughout the world, in introduced feral populations and in farm operations. Various other pheasant species are popular in aviaries, such as the golden pheasant (''Chrysolophus pictus'').

Etymology

According to the ''

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a c ...

'', the word "pheasant" ultimately comes from Phasis, the ancient name of what is now called the Rioni River in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. It passed from Greek to Latin to French (spelled with an initial "f") then to English, appearing for the first time in English around 1299.

Species in taxonomic order

This list is ordered to show presumed relationships between species. *Subfamily Phasianinae **Tribe Ithaginini ***Blood pheasant (genus '' Ithaginis'') ****

Blood pheasant The blood pheasant (''Ithaginis cruentus''), also known as blood partridge, is the only species in genus ''Ithaginis'' of the pheasant family. It is a relatively small, short-tailed pheasant that is widespread and is fairly common in eastern Him ...

(''I. cruentus'') **Tribe Pucrasiini ***Koklass (genus '' Pucrasia'') **** Koklass pheasant (''P. macrolopha'') **Tribe

Phasianini Phasianini is a tribe of birds in the subfamily Phasianinae. It contains the true pheasants. Species in this tribe are found throughout Europe and Asia. This grouping was supported by a 2021 phylogenetic analysis of Galliformes, and accepted by t ...

***Long-tailed pheasants (genus '' Syrmaticus'') **** Reeves's pheasant (''S. reevesi'') **** Elliot's pheasant (''S. ellioti'') ****

Mrs. Hume's pheasant Mrs. Hume's pheasant (''Syrmaticus humiae'')( mni, Nongin; literally, ''"one who follows the track of rain"''), also known as Hume's pheasant or the bar-tailed pheasant, is a large, up to 90 cm long, forest pheasant with a greyish brown head, ...

(''S. humiae'') ****

Mikado pheasant The Mikado pheasant (''Syrmaticus mikado'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. Sometimes considered an unofficial ''national bird'' of Taiwan (along with the Swinhoe's pheasant and Taiw ...

(''S. mikado'') **** Copper pheasant (''S. soemmerringi'') ***Ruffed pheasants (genus '' Chrysolophus'') **** Golden pheasant (''C. pictus'') **** Lady Amherst's pheasant (''C. amherstiae'') ***Typical pheasants (genus '' Phasianus'') ****

Green pheasant The green pheasant (''Phasianus versicolor''), also known as the Japanese green pheasant, is an omnivorous bird native to the Japanese archipelago, to which it is endemic. Some taxonomic authorities consider it a subspecies of the common pheas ...

(''P. versicolor'') ****

Common pheasant The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus'') is a bird in the pheasant family ( Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Georgia), a countr ...

(''P. colchicus'') ***** Caucasus pheasants, ''Phasianus colchicus colchicus'' group ***** White-winged pheasants, ''Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas/principalis'' group ****** Prince of Wales pheasant, ''Phasianus colchicus principalis'' ***** Mongolian ring-necked pheasants or white-winged ring-necked pheasants, ''Phasianus colchicus mongolicus'' group ***** Tarim pheasants, ''Phasianus colchicus tarimensis'' group ***** Chinese ring-necked pheasants, ''Phasianus colchicus torquatus'' group ****** Taiwan pheasant, ''Phasianus colchicus formosanus'' **Cheer pheasant (genus ''

Catreus In Greek mythology, Catreus or Katreus (, ; grc, ) was the eldest son of Minos and Pasiphaë, and Minos' successor as king of Crete. Catreus had one son, Althaemenes, and three daughters, Apemosyne, Aerope and Clymene. Catreus was mistakenly ...

'') *** Cheer pheasant (''C. wallichi'') **Gallopheasants (genus '' Lophura'') *** Kalij pheasant (''L. leucomelanos'') ****White-crested kalij pheasant (''L. l. hamiltoni'') ****Nepal kalij pheasant (''L. l. leucomelanos'') ****Black-backed kalij pheasant (''L. l. melanota'') ****Black kalij pheasant (''L. l. moffitti'') ****Black-breasted kalij pheasant (''L. l. lathami'') ****William's kalij pheasant (''L. l. williamsi'') ****Oates' kalij pheasant (''L. l. oatesi'') ****Crawfurd's kalij pheasant (''L. l. crawfurdi'') ****Lineated kalij pheasant (''L. l. lineata'') *** Silver pheasant (''L. nycthemera'') *** Imperial pheasant (''L. imperialis'') *** Edward's pheasant (''L. edwardsi'') *** Vietnamese pheasant (''L. hatinhensis'') ***

Swinhoe's pheasant Swinhoe's pheasant (''Lophura swinhoii''), also known as the Taiwan blue pheasant, is a bird of the pheasant subfamily in the fowl family Phasianidae. It is endemic to Taiwan. Along with the Mikado pheasant and Taiwan blue magpie, two other Tai ...

(''L. swinhoii'') *** Hoogerwerf's pheasant (''L. hoogerwerfi)'' *** Salvadori's pheasant (''L. inornata'') *** Crestless fireback (''L. erythrophthalma'') ****Malayan crestless fireback (''L. e. erythrophthalma'') ****Bornean crestless fireback (''L. e. pyronota'') *** Crested fireback (''L. ignita'') ****Lesser Bornean crested fireback (''L. i. ignita'') ****Greater Bornean crested fireback (''L. i. nobilis'') ****Vieilott's crested fireback (''L. i. rufa'') ****Delacour's crested fireback (''L. i. macartneyi'') *** Siamese fireback (''L. diardi'') ***

Bulwer's pheasant Bulwer's pheasant (''Lophura bulweri''), also known as Bulwer's wattled pheasant, the wattled pheasant or the white-tailed wattled pheasant, is a Southeast Asian bird in the family Phasianidae endemic to the forests of Borneo. It is currently li ...

(''L. bulweri'') **Eared pheasants (genus ''

Crossoptilon Eared pheasants are pheasants from the genus ''Crossoptilon'' in the family Phasianidae. Species Established by Brian Houghton Hodgson in 1838, the genus contains four species: The name ''Crossoptilon'' is a combination of the Greek words ''k ...

'') ***

White eared pheasant The white eared pheasant (''Crossoptilon crossoptilon''), also known as Dolan’s eared pheasant or Bee's pheasant, is a species of " eared pheasant" that get its name because its colouration is white and has the prominent ear tufts of the genu ...

(''C. crossoptilon'') ***

Tibetan eared pheasant The Tibetan eared pheasant (''Crossoptilon harmani''), also called Elwes' eared pheasant, is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae found in southeast Tibet and adjacent northern India, usually between elevation, but has been seen down to ...

(''C. harmani'') ***

Brown eared pheasant The brown-eared pheasant (''Crossoptilon mantchuricum'') is a large, 96– to 100-cm-long, dark brown pheasant endemic to the mountain forests of northeastern China (Shanxi and nearby provinces). The species was first described by Robert Swinh ...

(''C. mantchuricum'') ***

Blue eared pheasant The blue eared pheasant (''Crossoptilon auritum'') is a large, up to long, dark blue-gray pheasant with velvet black crown, red facial feathers appearing as bare skin, yellow iris, long white ear coverts behind the eyes, and crimson legs. Its tai ...

(''C. auritum'') *Subfamily Pavoninae **Tribe

Pavonini Pavonini is a tribe of bird in the subfamily Phasianinae. Members of this family are primarily found in tropical Asia, along with one species in the Congo Rainforest in Africa. It contains two of the most charismatic members of the Phasianidae, ...

***Crested argus (genus ''

Rheinardia Crested arguses are large and spectacular peafowl-like birds in the genus ''Rheinardia'' of the pheasant family. Taxonomy Although traditionally treated as a single species with two subspecies, it has long been suspected that a species pair is ...

'') ****

Vietnamese crested argus The Vietnamese crested argus (''Rheinardia ocellata'') is a large and spectacular peafowl-like species of bird in the pheasant family with dark-brown-spotted black and buff plumage, a heavy pink bill, brown irises and blue skin around the eyes. ...

(''R. ocellata'') **** Malayan crested argus (''R. nigrescens'') ***Great argus (genus '' Argusianus'') ****

Great argus The great argus (''Argusianus argus'') is a species of pheasant from Southeast Asia. It is not to be confused with the two species of closely related crested argus, genus ''Rheinardia''. Taxonomy Carl Linnaeus gave the great argus its spe ...

(''A. argus'') **Tribe Polyprectronini ***Peacock-pheasants (genus '' Polyplectron'') ****

Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant The bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron chalcurum'') is also known as the Sumatran peacock-pheasant. It is an Indonesian bird. Description The bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant is a small, up to 56 cm long, dark brown pheasant wit ...

(''P. chalcurum'') ****

Mountain peacock-pheasant The mountain peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron inopinatum''), also known as Rothschild's peacock-pheasant or mirror pheasant, is a medium-sized, up to 65 cm long, blackish brown pheasant with small ocelli and long graduated tail feathers. Bo ...

(''P. inopinatum'') **** Germain's peacock-pheasant (''P. germaini'') ****

Grey peacock-pheasant The gray peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron bicalcaratum''), also known as Burmese peacock-pheasant, is a large Asian member of the order Galliformes. Taxonomy In 1747 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a descrip ...

(''P. bicalcaratum'' ****

Hainan peacock-pheasant The Hainan peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron katsumatae'') is an endangered bird that belongs to the pheasant family Phasianidae. This extremely rare species is endemic to the island of Hainan, China. Description The bird was long considered ...

(''Polyplectron katsumatae'') ****

Malayan peacock-pheasant The Malayan peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron malacense'') also known as crested peacock-pheasant or Malaysian peacock-pheasant, is a medium-sized pheasant of the galliform family Phasianidae. The closely related Bornean peacock-pheasant (''P. ...

(''P. malacense'') **** Bornean peacock-pheasant (''P. schleiermacheri'') **** Palawan peacock-pheasant (''P. emphanum'')

Previous classifications

''Euplocamus'' and ''Gennceus'' are older names more or less corresponding to the current ''Lophura''. * ''Euplocamus'' was used, for example, by

Hume Hume most commonly refers to: * David Hume (1711–1776), Scottish philosopher Hume may also refer to: People * Hume (surname) * Hume (given name) * James Hume Nisbet (1849–1923), Scottish-born novelist and artist In fiction * Hume, ...

and Marshall in their '' Game Birds of India, Burmah and Ceylon'' (1879–1881). * ''Gennceus'', was used, for example, by Frank Finn in
Indian Sporting Birds
' (1915) an
Game Birds of India and Asia
(1911?). These old genera were used for:

References

Bibliography

* Beebe, William. 1918-22. ''A Monograph of the Pheasants.'' 1st edition in 4 volumes: H. F. Witherby, London. Reprint: 1990, Dover Publications.(4 volumes bound as 2). and . Republished as: ''Pheasants: Their Lives and Homes''. 2 vols. 1926. Single volume edition: New York Zoological Society, 1936.) *Green-Armytage, Stephen. 2002. ''Extraordinary Pheasants.'' Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. Book . * Madge and McGowan, ''Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse''

External links

Videos of pheasants
in the Internet Bird Collection {{Meat Phasianidae Bird common names