Pheasant

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Pheasants
Elliot's Pheasant
Elliot's Pheasant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genera

Ithaginis
Catreus
Rheinartia
Crossoptilon
Lophura
Argusianus
Pucrasia
Syrmaticus
Chrysolophus
Phasianus
† See also partridge, quail

Pheasant is the common name for various long-tailed birds of the family Phasianidae (order Galliformes), a group that also includes the smaller partridges and even smaller quails. Pheasants are characterized by strong sexual dimorphism, with males of most species having highly colored plumage, long tails, and wattles (fleshy growth hanging from the neck or throat). The term pheasant also is used in certain locales for similar birds, such as the closely related ruffed grouse and some species of partridge.

The term pheasant is used for birds belonging to 35 species in 11 different genera, with genus Phasianus sometimes referred to as the 'true pheasants." The best-known of the pheasants 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). Pheasants are originally Old World birds, native to Asia, but are now found in Europe and have been introduced to North America

In many countries, pheasant species are hunted as game. Several species are threatened by hunting and other human activities such as illegal logging and habitat loss.

Description

Males are usually larger than the females, and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing the young.


Species in taxonomic order

This list is ordered to show 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)
      • (L. n. nycthemera)
      • (L. n. lewisi)
      • (L. n. annamensis)
      • (L. n. engelbachi)
      • (L. n. beli)
      • (L. n. berliozi)
      • (L. n. rufripes)
      • (L. n. ripponi)
      • (L. n. occidentalis)
      • (L. n. beaulieui)
      • (L. n. fokiensis)
      • (L. n. whiteheadi)
      • (L. n. omeiensis)
      • (L. n. rongjiangensis)
    • 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 (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)
  • True Pheasants (genus Phasianus)
    • Green Pheasant (P. versicolor)
    • Common Pheasant, (P. colchicus)
      • Pheasant (P.c. colchicus)
      • Ringnecked Pheasant (P.c. torquatus)
  • 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 )
Pheasant Fowling.—"Showing how to catch Pheasants."—Fac-simile of a Miniature in the Manuscript of the "Livre du Roy Modus" (Fourteenth Century).

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • 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

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