Pheasant
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2020) |
Pheasant | |
---|---|
Mongolian ringneck-type common pheasantMale | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Superfamily: | Phasianoidea |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Groups included | |
Cladisticallyincluded but traditionally excluded taxa | |
Pheasants(/ˈfɛzənts/FEH-zənts) are birds of several genera within thefamilyPhasianidaein theorderGalliformes.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" isparaphyletic,as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamiliesPhasianinaeandPavoninae,and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey (formerly classified inPerdicinae,Tetraoninae,andMeleagridinae) than to other pheasants.[1]
Pheasants are characterised by strongsexual dimorphism,males being highly decorated with brightcoloursand adornments such aswattles.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 thecommon pheasant,which is widespread throughout the world, in introduced feral populations and in farm operations. Various other pheasant species are popular inaviaries,such as thegolden pheasant(Chrysolophus pictus).
Etymology
[edit]According to theOxford English Dictionary,the word "pheasant" ultimately comes from Phasis, the ancient name of what is now called theRioni RiverinGeorgia. 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.
- SubfamilyPhasianinae
- TribeIthaginini
- Blood pheasant (genusIthaginis)
- Blood pheasant(I. cruentus)
- Blood pheasant (genusIthaginis)
- TribePucrasiini
- Koklass (genusPucrasia)
- Koklass pheasant(P. macrolopha)
- Koklass (genusPucrasia)
- TribePhasianini
- Long-tailed pheasants (genusSyrmaticus)
- 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 (genusChrysolophus)
- Golden pheasant(C. pictus)
- Lady Amherst's pheasant(C. amherstiae)
- Typical pheasants (genusPhasianus)
- Green pheasant(P. versicolor)
- Common pheasant(P. colchicus)
- Caucasus pheasants,Phasianus colchicus colchicusgroup
- White-winged pheasants,Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas/principalisgroup
- Prince of Wales pheasant,Phasianus colchicus principalis
- Mongolian ring-necked pheasants or white-winged ring-necked pheasants,Phasianus colchicus mongolicusgroup
- Tarim pheasants,Phasianus colchicus tarimensisgroup
- Chinese ring-necked pheasants,Phasianus colchicus torquatusgroup
- Taiwan pheasant,Phasianus colchicus formosanus
- Long-tailed pheasants (genusSyrmaticus)
- Cheer pheasant (genusCatreus)
- Cheer pheasant(C. wallichi)
- Gallopheasants (genusLophura)
- 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)
- Kalij pheasant(L. leucomelanos)
- Eared pheasants (genusCrossoptilon)
- White eared pheasant(C. crossoptilon)
- Tibetan eared pheasant(C. harmani)
- Brown eared pheasant(C. mantchuricum)
- Blue eared pheasant(C. auritum)
- TribeIthaginini
- SubfamilyPavoninae
- TribePavonini
- Crested argus (genusRheinardia)
- Vietnamese crested argus(R. ocellata)
- Malayan crested argus(R. nigrescens)
- Great argus (genusArgusianus)
- Great argus(A. argus)
- Crested argus (genusRheinardia)
- TribePolyprectronini
- Peacock-pheasants (genusPolyplectron)
- 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)
- Peacock-pheasants (genusPolyplectron)
- TribePavonini
Previous classifications
[edit]EuplocamusandGennceusare older names more or less corresponding to the currentLophura.
- Euplocamuswas used, for example, byHumeandMarshallin theirGame Birds of India, Burmah and Ceylon(1879–1881).
- Gennceus,was used, for example, byFrank FinninIndian Sporting Birds(1915) andGame 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 orwhite-crested kalij | E. albocristatus | G. albocristatus | L. leucomelanos hamiltoni | |
Nepal kalij | E. leucomelanus | G. leucomelanus | L. leucomelanos leucomelanos | |
Purple, Horsfield's orblack-breasted kalij | E. horsfieldi | G. horsfieldi | L. leucomelanos lathami | |
Lineated kalij | E. lineatus | G. lineatusalso: Burmese silver pheasant | L. leucomelanos lineata | |
Anderson's silver pheasant | ? | G. andersoni,considered hybrid ofL. nycthemeraandL. l. lineata | L. nycthemera andersoni(invalid) | |
Crawfurd's silver pheasant(or Crawford's? ) | E. andersoni | considered a further cross of Anderson's andL. 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]- ^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.ISSN1055-7903.PMID33545275.S2CID231963063.
- ^Nicolas Milton (1 Oct 2020)."Game birds 'could wipe out adders in most of Britain within 12 years'".Guardian newspapers.
- ^"pheasant".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
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).ISBN0-486-26579-XandISBN0-486-26580-3.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. BookISBN0-8109-1007-1.
- Madge and McGowan,Pheasants, Partridges and GrouseISBN0-7136-3966-0
External links
[edit]- Videos of pheasantsin the Internet Bird Collection