Pheasant

Common Pheasant	Male Copper coloured with long tail.
Phasianus colchicus
Length: 75-90 cm  (30-36")
Wing Span: 80-90 cm  (32-36")
Weight: 900-1500 g  (2-3½lb)	Female Drab brown with long tail.
Breeding Pairs: 1 550 000
Present: All Year
Status: Green

Description

The Pheasant is a non-native bird that was first introduced by the Normans in the 11^th century as a game bird.

Male Pheasants are unmistakable with their iridescent copper-coloured plumage. The head, small ear tufts and neck are green, though the throat and cheeks are glossed purple. Their face and wattle are red. The tail is paler and has broad barring. Some races (P. torquatus) have white neck band.

The female Pheasant is buff coloured with dark brown markings.

Juvenile Pheasants are similar to females with shorter tails.

Front

Behind

Melanistic

The so-called "melanistic" Pheasant is actually a mutant of the Common Pheasant (P. c. tenebrosus) or sometimes one of the other species, such as the rarer Green Pheasant (P. versicolor). The different races interbreed so there also many hybrids.

Voice

	Call
	Quicktime mp3

The song of the male is a far-carrying, harsh "korr kok".

Feeding

Pheasants have a varied diet which they forage for on the ground and occasionally in trees. Typically, the diet is seeds, berries, insects, worms, grass and fruit.

Nesting

The female nests in a shallow depression in the ground under a hedge or among tall grass.

The male often accompanies several females, and will defend his territory and harem from intruding males in vicious fights.

The eggs, which are about 45 mm by 36 mm, are smooth and non-glossy, and olive-brown. The female alone incubates the eggs and tends to the precocial nestlings.

Movements

Conservation

The Pheasant is protected by the Game Acts, which give protection during the close season and allow shooting from September to February.

Whether or not one agrees with shooting, the woodland management and provision of food for the young game birds also benefits other woodland species.

My Garden

There are no pheasants in the neighbourhood.