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's native range is restricted to Eurasia. The classification "pheasant" is Paraphyly, as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamilies Phasianinae and Peafowl, and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey (formerly classified in Perdicinae, Grouse, and Meleagridinae) than to other pheasants.
Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly decorated with bright 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.
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 Aviary, 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.
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Subfamily Phasianinae
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Tribe Blood pheasant
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Tribe Pucrasiini
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Tribe Phasianini
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Long-tailed pheasants (genus Syrmaticus)
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Reeves's pheasant ( S. reevesi)
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Elliot's pheasant ( S. ellioti)
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Mrs. Hume's pheasant ( S. humiae)
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Mikado pheasant ( S. mikado)
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Copper pheasant ( S. soemmerringi)
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Ruffed pheasants (genus Chrysolophus)
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Typical pheasants (genus Phasianus)
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Green pheasant ( P. versicolor)
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Common pheasant ( P. colchicus)
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Caucasus pheasants, Phasianus colchicus colchicus group
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White-winged pheasants, Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas/principalis group
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Prince of Wales pheasant, Phasianus colchicus principalis
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Mongolian ring-necked pheasants or white-winged ring-necked pheasants, Phasianus colchicus mongolicus group
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Tarim pheasants, Phasianus colchicus tarimensis group
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Chinese ring-necked pheasants, Phasianus colchicus torquatus group
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Taiwan pheasant, Phasianus colchicus formosanus
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Cheer pheasant (genus Cheer pheasant)
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Gallopheasants (genus Lophura)
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Kalij pheasant ( L. leucomelanos)
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White-crested kalij pheasant ( L. l. hamiltoni)
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Nepal kalij pheasant ( L. l. leucomelanos)
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Black-backed kalij pheasant ( L. l. melanota)
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Black kalij pheasant ( L. l. moffitti)
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Black-breasted kalij pheasant ( L. l. lathami)
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William's kalij pheasant ( L. l. williamsi)
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Oates' kalij pheasant ( L. l. oatesi)
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Crawfurd's kalij pheasant ( L. l. crawfurdi)
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Lineated kalij pheasant ( L. l. lineata)
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Silver pheasant ( L. nycthemera)
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Imperial pheasant ( L. imperialis)
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Edwards's pheasant ( L. edwardsi)
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Vietnamese pheasant ( L. hatinhensis)
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Swinhoe's pheasant ( L. swinhoii)
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Salvadori's pheasant ( L. inornata)
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Hoogerwerf's pheasant ( L. i. hoogerwerfi)
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Malayan crestless fireback ( L. erythrophthalma)
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Bornean crestless fireback ( L. pyronota)
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Bornean crested fireback ( L. ignita)
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Lesser Bornean crested fireback ( L. i. ignita)
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Greater Bornean crested fireback ( L. i. nobilis)
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Malayan crested fireback ( L. rufa)
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Siamese fireback ( L. diardi)
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Bulwer's pheasant ( L. bulweri)
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Eared pheasants (genus Crossoptilon)
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White eared pheasant ( C. crossoptilon)
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Tibetan eared pheasant ( C. harmani)
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Brown eared pheasant ( C. mantchuricum)
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Blue eared pheasant ( C. auritum)
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Subfamily Pavoninae
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Tribe Pavonini
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Crested argus (genus Rheinardia)
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Vietnamese crested argus ( R. ocellata)
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Malayan crested argus ( R. nigrescens)
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Great argus (genus Argusianus)
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Tribe Polyplectronini
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Peacock-pheasants (genus Polyplectron)
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Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant ( P. chalcurum)
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Mountain peacock-pheasant ( P. inopinatum)
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Germain's peacock-pheasant ( P. germaini)
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Grey peacock-pheasant ( P. bicalcaratum
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Hainan peacock-pheasant ( Polyplectron katsumatae)
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Malayan peacock-pheasant ( P. malacense)
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Bornean peacock-pheasant ( P. schleiermacheri)
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Palawan peacock-pheasant ( P. emphanum)
Previous classifications
Euplocamus and
Gennceus are older names more or less corresponding to the current
Lophura.
These old genera were used for:
|
|
| L. ignita rufa |
| L. leucomelanos melanota |
| L. leucomelanos hamiltoni |
| L. leucomelanos leucomelanos |
| L. leucomelanos lathami |
| L. leucomelanos lineata |
| L. nycthemera andersoni (invalid) |
| ? |
| L. leucomelanos crawfurdi |
| ? |
| L. leucomelanos oatesi |
| ? |
| L. swinhoii |
Bibliography
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William Beebe. 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.)
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Green-Armytage, Stephen. 2002. Extraordinary Pheasants.Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. Book .
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Madge and McGowan, Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse
External links
