Pheasant

Bird in family Phasianidae

This article is about the animal. For other uses, see Pheasant (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Peasant.

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Pheasant

Mongolian ringneck-type
common pheasant Male
Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Aves
Order:  | Galliformes
Superfamily:  | Phasianoidea
Family:  | Phasianidae
Groups included

* Argusianus
* Catreus
* Chrysolophus
* Crossoptilon
* Ithaginis
* Lophura
* Phasianus
* Polyplectron
* Pucrasia
* Rheinardia
* Syrmaticus

Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa

* Rollulinae
* Lerwini
* Lophophorini
* Meleagridini
* Tetraonini
* Rhizotherini
* Perdix
* Coturnicini
* Gallini
* Pavonina
* Galloperdix
* Haematortyx
* Tropicoperdix

Pheasant fowling, "Showing how to catch pheasants", facsimile of a miniature in the manuscript of the "Livre du Roy Modus" (fourteenth century). Cheer pheasant pair in Himalaya, India

Pheasants (/ˈfɛzənts/ FEH-zənts) 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's 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.[1]

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 by 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.[2][dubious - discuss]

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

[edit]

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.[3]

## Species in taxonomic order

[edit]

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)
* Edwards's pheasant (L. edwardsi)
* Vietnamese pheasant (L. hatinhensis)
* Swinhoe's pheasant (L. swinhoii)
* Salvadori's pheasant (L. inornata)
* Hoogerwerf's pheasant (L. i. hoogerwerfi)
* Malayan crestless fireback (L. erythrophthalma)
* Bornean crestless fireback (L. pyronota)
* Bornean crested fireback (L. ignita)
* Lesser Bornean crested fireback (L. i. ignita)
* Greater Bornean crested fireback (L. i. nobilis)
* Malayan crested fireback (L. rufa)
* 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

[edit]

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) and Game Birds of India and Asia (1911?).

These old genera were used for:

Vernacular  | Hume & Marshall  | Finn: Sporting Birds  | Finn: Game Birds  | Contemporary

|
|
|
|

Vieillot's crested fireback | E. vielloti | Lophura rufa (sic) |  | L. ignita rufa
Black-backed kalij | E. melanonotus | G. melanonotus |  | L. leucomelanos melanota
Common or white-crested kalij | E. albocristatus | G. albocristatus |  | L. leucomelanos hamiltoni
Nepal kalij | E. leucomelanus | G. leucomelanus |  | L. leucomelanos leucomelanos
Purple, Horsfield's or black-breasted kalij | E. horsfieldi | G. horsfieldi |  | L. leucomelanos lathami
Lineated kalij | E. lineatus | G. lineatus also: Burmese silver pheasant |  | L. leucomelanos lineata
Anderson's silver pheasant | ? | G. andersoni, considered hybrid of L. nycthemera and L. l. lineata |  | L. nycthemera andersoni (invalid)
Crawfurd's silver pheasant (or Crawford's? ) | E. andersoni | considered a further cross of Anderson's and L. l. lineata |  | ?
Crawfurd's kalij (same as C.'s silver pheasant?) | ? |  | G. andersoni | L. leucomelanos crawfurdi
Cuvier's kalij | ? |  | G. cuvieri | ?
Oates's kalij | ? |  | G. oatesi | L. leucomelanos oatesi
Whitehead's silver pheasant | ? |  | G. whiteheadi | ?
Swinhoe's kalij | ? |  | G. swinhoii | L. swinhoii

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kimball, Rebecca T.; Hosner, Peter A.; Braun, Edward L. (2021-05-01). "A phylogenomic supermatrix of Galliformes (Landfowl) reveals biased branch lengths". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 158: 107091. Bibcode:2021MolPE.15807091K. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107091. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 33545275. S2CID 231963063.
2. ^ Nicolas Milton (1 Oct 2020). "Game birds 'could wipe out adders in most of Britain within 12 years'". Guardian newspapers.
3. ^ "pheasant". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

## Bibliography

[edit]

* 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

## External links

[edit]

* Videos of pheasants in the Internet Bird Collection

* v
* t
* e

Phasianidae

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Aves
* Order: Galliformes

Subfamily Phasianinae

| Tribe Lerwini|

| Lerwa|

* Snow partridge (L. lerwa)

|

Tribe Ithaginini|

| Ithaginis|

* Blood pheasant (I. cruentus)

|

Tribe Lophophorini|

| Tragopan|

* Blyth's tragopan (T. blythii)
* Cabot's tragopan (T. caboti)
* Western tragopan (T. melanocephalus)
* Satyr tragopan (T. satyra)
* Temminck's tragopan (T. temminckii)

|

Tetraophasis|

* Verreaux's monal-partridge (T. obscurus)
* Szechenyi's monal-partridge (T. szechenyii)

Lophophorus|

* Himalayan monal (L. impejanus)
* Sclater's monal (L. sclateri)
* Chinese monal (L. lhuysii)

Tribe Pucrasiini|

| Pucrasia|

* Koklass pheasant (P. macrolopha)

|

Tribe Meleagridini|

| Meleagris|

* Wild turkey (M. gallopavo)
* Ocellated turkey (M. ocellata)
* † Californian turkey (M. californica)

|

Tribe Tetraonini
Grouse|

| Canachites|

* Spruce grouse (C. canadensis)
* Franklin's grouse (C. canadensis franklinii)

|

Falcipennis|

* Siberian grouse (F. falcipennis)

Dendragapus|

* Dusky grouse (D. obscurus)
* Sooty grouse (D. fuliginosus)

Lagopus|

* Willow ptarmigan (L. lagopus)
* Red grouse (L. l. scotica)
* Rock ptarmigan (L. muta)
* White-tailed ptarmigan (L. leucura)

Tetrao|

* Western capercaillie (T. urogallus)
* Cantabrian capercaillie (T. u. cantabricus)
* Black-billed capercaillie (T. urogalloides)

Lyrurus|

* Black grouse (L. tetrix)
* Caucasian grouse (L. mlokosiewiczi)

Tetrastes|

* Hazel grouse (T. bonasia)
* Chinese grouse (T. sewerzowi)

Bonasa|

* Ruffed grouse (B. umbellus)

Centrocercus|

* Greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus)
* Gunnison grouse (C. minimus)

Tympanuchus|

* Sharp-tailed grouse (T. phasianellus)
* Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (T. p. columbianus)
* Greater prairie chicken (T. cupido)
* Heath hen (extinct)
* Attwater's prairie chicken (T. c. attwateri)
* Lesser prairie chicken (T. pallidicinctus)

Tribe Rhizotherini|

| Rhizothera|

* Long-billed partridge (R. longirostris)
* Dulit partridge (R. dulitensis)

|

Tribe Phasianini|

| Perdix|

* Grey partridge (P. perdix)
* Daurian partridge (P. dauurica)
* Tibetan partridge (P. hodgsoniae)

|

Syrmaticus|

* Elliot's pheasant (S. ellioti)
* Mrs. Hume's pheasant (S. humiae)
* Mikado pheasant (S. mikado)
* Copper pheasant (S. soemmerringi)
* Reeve's pheasant (S. reevesi)

Chrysolophus|

* Lady Amherst's pheasant (C. amherstiae)
* Golden pheasant (C. pictus)

Phasianus|

* Common pheasant (P. colchicus)
* Green pheasant (P. versicolor)

Catreus|

* Cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichi)

Crossoptilon|

* Blue eared pheasant (C. auritum)
* White eared pheasant (C. crossoptilon)
* Tibetan eared pheasant (C. harmani)
* Brown eared pheasant (C.mantchuricum)

Lophura|

* Bulwer's pheasant (L. bulweri)
* Siamese fireback (L. diardi)
* Edward's pheasant (L. edwardsi)
* Crestless fireback (L. erythrophthalma)
* Vietnamese pheasant (L. hatinhensis)
* Crested fireback (L. ignita)
* Imperial pheasant (L. imperialis)
* Salvadori's pheasant (L. inornata)
* Hoogerwerf's pheasant (L. i. hoogerwerfi)
* Kalij pheasant (L. leucomelanos)
* Silver pheasant (L. nycthemera)
* Swinhoe's pheasant (L. swinhoii)

Subfamily Rollulinae

| Xenoperdix|

* Rubeho forest partridge (X. obscuratus)
* Udzungwa forest partridge (X. udzungwensis)

|

Caloperdix|

* Ferruginous partridge (C. oculeus)

Rollulus|

* Crested partridge (R. rouloul)

Melanoperdix|

* Black partridge (M. niger)

Arborophila|

* Hill partridge (A. torqueola)
* Sichuan partridge (A. rufipectus)
* Chestnut-breasted partridge (A. mandellii)
* White-necklaced partridge (A. gingica)
* Rufous-throated partridge (A. rufogularis)
* Red-billed partridge (A.a rubrirostris)
* Siamese partridge (A. diversa)
* Chestnut-headed partridge (A. cambodiana)
* Hainan partridge (A. ardens)
* Taiwan partridge (A. crudigularis)
* White-cheeked partridge (A. atrogularis)
* Bar-backed partridge (A. brunneopectus)
* Orange-necked partridge (A. davidi)
* Red-breasted partridge (A. hyperythra)
* Malayan partridge (A. campbelli)
* Roll's partridge (A. rolli)
* Sumatran partridge (A. sumatrana)
* Chestnut-bellied partridge (A. javanica)
* Grey-breasted partridge (A. orientalis)

Subfamily Pavoninae

| Tribe Pavonini|

| Rheinardia|

* Vietnamese crested argus (R. ocellata)
* Malayan crested argus (R. nigrescens)

|

Argusianus|

* Great argus (A. argus)

Afropavo|

* Congo peafowl (A. congensis)

Pavo|

* Indian peafowl (P. cristatus)
* Green peafowl (P. muticus)

Tropicoperdix|

* Chestnut-necklaced partridge (T. charltonii)
* Green-legged partridge (T. chloropus)

Tribe Polyplectronini|

| Haematortyx|

* Crimson-headed partridge (H. sanguiniceps)

|

Galloperdix|

* Red spurfowl (G. spadicea)
* Painted spurfowl (G. lunulata)
* Sri Lanka spurfowl (G. bicalcarata)

Polyplectron|

* Grey peacock-pheasant (P. bicalcaratum)
* Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant (P. chalcurum)
* Palawan peacock-pheasant (P. emphanum)
* Germain's peacock-pheasant (P. germaini)
* Mountain peacock-pheasant (P. inopinatum)
* Hainan peacock-pheasant (P. katsumatae)
* Malayan peacock-pheasant (P. malacense)
* Bornean peacock-pheasant (P. schleiermacheri)

Tribe Gallini|

| Bambusicola|

* Mountain bamboo partridge (B. fytchii)
* Chinese bamboo partridge (B. thoracicus)
* Taiwan bamboo partridge (B. sonorivox)

|

Gallus|

* Red junglefowl (G. gallus)
* Sri Lankan junglefowl (G. lafayetii)
* Grey junglefowl (G. sonneratii)
* Green junglefowl (G. varius)

Peliperdix|

* Latham's francolin (P. lathami)

Ortygornis|

* Crested francolin (O. sephaena)
* Grey francolin (O. pondicerianus)
* Swamp francolin (O. gularis)

Francolinus|

* Black francolin (F. francolinus)
* Painted francolin (F. pictus)
* Chinese francolin (F. pintadeanus)

Campocolinus|

* Coqui francolin (C. coqui)
* White-throated francolin, (C. albogularis)
* Schlegel's francolin (C. schlegelii)

Scleroptila|

* Ring-necked francolin (S. streptophora)
* Red-winged francolin (S. levaillantii)
* Finsch's francolin (S. finschi)
* Moorland francolin (S. psilolaema)
* Grey-winged francolin (S. afra)
* Orange River francolin (S. gutturalis)
* Shelley's francolin (S. shelleyi)

Tribe Coturnicini|

| Tetraogallus|

* Caucasian snowcock (T. caucasicus)
* Caspian snowcock (T. caspius)
* Himalayan snowcock (T. himalayensis)
* Tibetan snowcock (T. tibetanus)
* Altai snowcock (T. altaicus)

|

Ammoperdix|

* See-see partridge (A. griseogularis)
* Sand partridge (A. heyi)

Synoicus|

* Brown quail (S. ypsilophorus)
* Snow Mountain quail (S. monorthonyx)
* Blue quail (S. adansonii)
* King quail (S. chinensis)

Margaroperdix|

* Madagascar partridge (M. madagarensis)

Coturnix|

* Rain quail (C. coromandelica)
* Harlequin quail (C. delegorguei)
* Common quail (C. coturnix)
* Japanese quail (C. japonica)
* Stubble quail (C. pectoralis)

Alectoris|

* Arabian partridge (A. melanocephala)
* Przevalski's partridge (A. magna)
* Rock partridge (A. graeca)
* Chukar partridge (A. chukar)
* Philby's partridge (A. philbyi)
* Barbary partridge (A. barbara)
* Red-legged partridge (A. rufa)

Perdicula|

* Jungle bush quail (P. asiatica)
* Rock bush quail (P. argoondah)
* Painted bush quail (P. erythrorhyncha)
* Manipur bush quail (P. manipurensis)

Ophrysia|

* Himalayan quail (O. superciliosa) (possibly extinct)

Pternistis|

* Hartlaub's spurfowl (P. hartlaubi)
* Mount Cameroon spurfowl (P. camerunensis)
* Handsome spurfowl (P. nobilis)
* Chestnut-naped spurfowl (P. castaneicollis)
* Black-fronted spurfowl (P. atrifrons)
* Erckel's spurfowl (P. erckelii)
* Djibouti spurfowl (P. ochropectus)
* Swierstra's spurfowl (P. swierstrai)
* Ahanta spurfowl (P. ahantensis)
* Grey-striped spurfowl (P. griseostriatus)
* Jackson's spurfowl (P. jacksoni)
* Red-billed spurfowl (P. adspersus)
* Cape spurfowl (P. capensis)
* Natal spurfowl (P. natalensis)
* Hildebrandt's spurfowl (P. hildebrandti)
* Double-spurred spurfowl (P. bicalcaratus)
* Scaly spurfowl (P. squamatus)
* Heuglin's spurfowl (P. icterorhynchus)
* Clapperton's spurfowl (P. clappertoni)
* Harwood's spurfowl (P. harwoodi)
* Swainson's spurfowl (P. swainsonii)
* Yellow-necked spurfowl (P. leucoscepus)
* Grey-breasted spurfowl (P. rufopictus)
* Red-necked spurfowl (P. afer)

185 living species in 32 genera
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*[†]: Extinct