Pheasant - Definition and Overview

Pheasants
Male Common 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

Pheasants are a group of large birds from the order Galliformes. In some countries they are hunted as game.

They are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, with the males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. They are usually larger than the females. Males play no part in rearing the young.

There are 35 species in 11 different genera. The most common is the Ringnecked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus torquatus) which is widespread throughout the world in the wild and in farm operations. Various other species are popular hobby animals such as the Golden Pheasant (C. pictus).

• Blood Pheasant (genus Ithaginis)
  • Blood Pheasant, (I. cruentus)

• Cheer (genus Catreus)
  • Cheer Pheasant, (C. wallichi)

• Crested Argus (genus Rheinartia)
  • Crested Argus Pheasant, (R. ocellata)

• Eared Pheasants (genus Crossoptilon)
  • White-eared Pheasant, (C. crossoptilon)
  • Tibetan White-eared Pheasant, (C. harmani)
  • Brown Eared Pheasant, (C. mantchuricum)
  • Blue Eared Pheasant, (C. auritum)

• Gallopheasants (genus Lophura)
  • Kalij Pheasant, (L. leucomelana)
  • Silver Pheasant, (L. nycthemera)
  • Imperial Pheasant, (L. imperialis)
  • Edward's Pheasant, (L. edwardsi)
  • Swinhoe Pheasant, (L. swinhoii)
  • Salvadori's Pheasant, (L. inornata)
  • Crestless Fireback Pheasant, (L. erythropthalma)
  • Crested Fireback Pheasant, (L. ignita)
  • Siamese Fireback, (L. diardi)
  • Bulwer's Wattled Pheasant, (L. bulweri)

• Great Argus (genus Argusianus)
  • Great Argus Pheasant, (A. argus)

• Koklass (genus Pucrasia)
  • Koklass Pheasant, (P. macrolopha)

• 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)

• 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)

• Ruffed Pheasants (genus Chrysolophus)
  • Golden Pheasant, (C. pictus)
  • Lady Amherst's Pheasant, (C. amherstiae)

• True Pheasants (genus Phasianus)
  • Green Pheasant (P. versicolor)
  • Common Pheasant, (P. colchicus)
    • Pheasant (P. c. colchicus)
    • Ringnecked Pheasant (P. c. torquatus)

External links

• Illinois State Academy of Science (ISAS): scroll to heading "True Pheasants (Genus: Phasianus)" (http://www.il-st-acad-sci.org/kingdom/bird002e.html)