pheasant

1 large long-tailed gallinaceous bird native to the Old World but introduced elsewhere

2 flesh of a pheasant; usually braised

English

Pronunciation

• /'fɛsənt/

Noun

1. A bird of family Phasianidae, often hunted for food.

Translations

Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes.

Pheasant are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, with males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than the females, and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing the young. Pheasants typically eat seeds and some insects. While on the ground, a group of pheasants is called a nye.

There are 35 species of pheasant in 11 different genera. The best-known is the Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) 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).

Species in taxonomic order

This list is ordered to show presumed relationships between species

• Blood Pheasant (genus Ithaginis)
  • Blood Pheasant, (I. cruentus)
• Koklass (genus Pucrasia)
  • Koklass Pheasant, (P. macrolopha)
• 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)
  • Swinhoe's Pheasant, (L. swinhoii)
  • Salvadori's Pheasant, (L. inornata)
  • Crestless Fireback Pheasant, (L. erythrophthalma)
    • Malayan Crestless Fireback, (L. e. erythrophthalma)
    • Bornean Crestless Fireback, (L. e. pyronota)
  • Crested Fireback Pheasant, (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 Wattled Pheasant, (L. bulweri)
• Eared Pheasants (genus Crossoptilon)
  • White-eared Pheasant, (C. crossoptilon)
  • Brown Eared Pheasant, (C. mantchuricum)
  • Blue Eared Pheasant, (C. auritum)
• Cheer Pheasant (genus Catreus)
  • Cheer Pheasant, (C. wallichi)
• Long-tailed Pheasants (genus Syrmaticus)
  • Reeve's Pheasant, (S. reevesi)
  • Elliot's Pheasant, (S. ellioti)
  • Bar-tailed Pheasant, (S. humiae)
  • Mikado Pheasant, (S. mikado)
  • Copper Pheasant, (S. soemmerringi)
• 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
• Ruffed Pheasants (genus Chrysolophus)
  • Golden Pheasant, (C. pictus)
  • Lady Amherst's Pheasant, (C. amherstiae)
• 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)
  • Malaysian Peacock Pheasant, (P. malacense)
  • Bornean Peacock Pheasant, (P. schleiermacheri)
  • Palawan Peacock Pheasant, (P. emphanum)
• Crested Argus (genus Rheinartia)
  • Crested Argus Pheasant, (R. ocellata)
• Great Argus (genus Argusianus)
  • Great Argus Pheasant, (A. argus)
  • Double-banded Argus, (Argusianus bipunctatus )

References

• 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). ISBN 0-486-26579-X and ISBN 0-486-26580-3. 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 ISBN 0-8109-1007-1.
• Madge and McGowan, Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse ISBN 0-7136-3966-0