Pheasant

Pheasant
	Mongolian ringneck-type; common pheasantMale
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;
Cladisticallyincluded but traditionally excluded taxa
	Rollulinae; Lerwini; Lophophorini; Tetraonini; Rhizotherini; Perdix; Coturnicini; Gallini; Pavonina; Galloperdix; Haematortyx; Tropicoperdix;

Pheasants(/ˈfɛzənt/FEH-zənt) are birds of several genera within thefamily Phasianidaein theorder 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" 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)
- TribePucrasiini
  - Koklass (genusPucrasia)
    - Koklass pheasant(P. macrolopha)
- 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
- 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)
- Eared pheasants (genusCrossoptilon)
  - White eared pheasant(C. crossoptilon)
  - Tibetan eared pheasant(C. harmani)
  - Brown eared pheasant(C. mantchuricum)
  - Blue eared pheasant(C. auritum)
SubfamilyPavoninae
- TribePavonini
  - Crested argus (genusRheinardia)
    - Vietnamese crested argus(R. ocellata)
    - Malayan crested argus(R. nigrescens)
  - Great argus (genusArgusianus)
    - Great argus(A. argus)
- 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)

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.doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107091.ISSN 1055-7903.PMID 33545275.S2CID 231963063.
^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).ISBN 0-486-26579-XandISBN 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. BookISBN 0-8109-1007-1.
Madge and McGowan,Pheasants, Partridges and GrouseISBN 0-7136-3966-0

External links[edit]

Videos of pheasantsin the Internet Bird Collection

[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.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 orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)

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