Pheasant Rump 68D

Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. 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, 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) than to other pheasants.

Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly decorated with bright colours 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, 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 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 (''I. cruentus'')
**Tribe Pucrasiini
***Koklass (genus '' Pucrasia'')
**** Koklass pheasant (''P. macrolopha'')
**Tribe Phasianini
***Long-tailed pheasants (genus '' Syrmaticus'')
**** Reeves's pheasant (''S. reevesi'')
**** Elliot's pheasant (''S. ellioti'')
****Mrs. Hume's pheasant (''S. humiae'')
**** Mikado pheasant (''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 (''P. versicolor'')
****Common pheasant (''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'')
*** 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 (''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 (''L. bulweri'')
**Eared pheasants (genus '' Crossoptilon'')
*** White eared pheasant (''C. crossoptilon'')
*** Tibetan eared pheasant (''C. harmani'')
*** Brown eared pheasant (''C. mantchuricum'')
*** Blue eared pheasant (''C. auritum'')
*Subfamily Pavoninae
**Tribe Pavonini
***Crested argus (genus ''Rheinardia'')
****Vietnamese crested argus (''R. ocellata'')
**** Malayan crested argus (''R. nigrescens'')
***Great argus (genus '' Argusianus'')
**** Great argus (''A. argus'')
**Tribe Polyprectronini
***Peacock-pheasants (genus '' Polyplectron'')
**** Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant (''P. chalcurum'')
****Mountain peacock-pheasant (''P. inopinatum'')
**** Germain's peacock-pheasant (''P. germaini'')
****Grey peacock-pheasant (''P. bicalcaratum''
****Hainan peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron katsumatae'')
**** Malayan peacock-pheasant (''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 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