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 Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...

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 d ...

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 often ...

. 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 (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

, 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 mitochond ...

) 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 ani ...

, 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 (biology), family (Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Geor ...

, 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 com ...

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

***Long-tailed pheasants (genus '' Syrmaticus'') ****

Reeves's pheasant Reeves's pheasant (''Syrmaticus reevesii'') is a large pheasant within the genus ''Syrmaticus''. It is endemic to China. It is named after the British naturalist John Reeves, who first introduced live specimens to Europe in 1831. Description ...

(''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 Taiwa ...

(''S. mikado'') **** Copper pheasant (''S. soemmerringi'') ***Ruffed pheasants (genus ''

Chrysolophus ''Chrysolophus'' is a genus of the Phasianidae, pheasant family of birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''khrusolophos'', "with golden crest". These are species which have spectacularly Feather, plumaged males. The golden pheasant is nat ...

'') **** 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 pheasa ...

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

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

(''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 k ...

'') *** 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 The silver pheasant (''Lophura nycthemera'') is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China, with an introduced population on Victoria Island in Nahuel Huapi Lake, Neu ...

(''L. nycthemera'') ***

Imperial pheasant The imperial pheasant (''Lophura'' × ''imperialis'') is a gallopheasant from Southeast Asia. Long thought to be an enigmatic and elusive species, it is actually a cross of Edwards's pheasant and the silver pheasant (''L. nycthemera'' subsp''. ann ...

(''L. imperialis'') ***

Edward's pheasant Edwards's pheasant (''Lophura edwardsi'') is a bird of the pheasant family Phasianidae and is Endemic (ecology), endemic to the rainforests of Vietnam. It is named after the French ornithologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards and first described to scie ...

(''L. edwardsi'') ***

Vietnamese pheasant The Vietnamese pheasant, or Vietnam fireback, was formerly considered a species of gallopheasant, ''Lophura hatinhensis'', but is now considered a variant of Edward's pheasant. Discovered in 1964, it is endemic to central Vietnam. Its range conce ...

(''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 Taiw ...

(''L. swinhoii'') ***

Hoogerwerf's pheasant Hoogerwerf's pheasant (''Lophura inornata hoogerwerfi''), also known as the Aceh pheasant or Sumatran pheasant is a medium-sized, up to long, bird of the family Phasianidae. The name commemorates the Dutch ornithologist and taxidermist Andries H ...

(''L. hoogerwerfi)'' ***

Salvadori's pheasant Salvadori's pheasant (''Lophura inornata'') is a landfowl bird of genus '' Lophura'', native to Indonesia. It is found in the mountain rainforests of Sumatra. Thus it is also known as the Sumatran pheasant. The Hoogerwerf's pheasant is usually t ...

(''L. inornata'') ***

Crestless fireback The crestless fireback (''Lophura erythrophthalma'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatene ...

(''L. erythrophthalma'') ****Malayan crestless fireback (''L. e. erythrophthalma'') ****Bornean crestless fireback (''L. e. pyronota'') ***

Crested fireback The crested fireback (''Lophura ignita'') is a medium-sized, up to 70 cm long, forest pheasant with a peacock-like dark crest, bluish black plumage, reddish brown rump, black outer tail feathers, red iris and bare blue facial skin. The female ...

(''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 ...

(''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 Greek m ...

'') ***

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 Swinho ...

(''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 i ...

'') ****

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 specifi ...

(''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 with ...

(''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 Germain's peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron germaini'') is a pheasant that is endemic to Indochina. The name commemorates the France, French colonial army's veterinary surgeon Louis Rodolphe Germain. Description The bird is a medium-sized, approx ...

(''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 (biology), order Galliformes. Taxonomy In 1747 the English naturalist George Edwards (naturalist), George Ed ...

(''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 (''P. malacense'') ****

Bornean peacock-pheasant The Bornean peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron schleiermacheri'') is a medium-sized pheasant. It is probably the rarest and certainly the least known of all peacock-pheasants. This elusive bird is endemic to lowland forests of Borneo. Description ...

(''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 and Marshall in their '' Game Birds of India, Burmah and Ceylon'' (1879–1881). * ''Gennceus'', was used, for example, by

Frank Finn Frank Finn FZS, MBOU (1868 – 1 October 1932) was an English ornithologist. Finn was born in Maidstone and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford. He went on a collecting expedition to East Africa in 1892, and ...

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. Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery. The enterprise is a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe. Run by President and CEO Michael ...

, 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