Scientific Name:
Phasianus colchius
Common Name:
Common Pheasant
Family:
Pheasants and Partridges: Phasianidae
Summary:
The Common Pheasant is a large game bird with a long tail. The two sexes look quite different. The male has a bright red face and green head with a small crest and a green neck, the body is a deep brown and speckled with black, but there is considerable variation with blue, green red areas often present. The female is lighter in colour and has no different colouration to the head. The tail is very long, particularly on the male.
Ecology:
The Common Pheasant is an introduced species of game bird, but has been in the British Isles at least a thousands years. Gamekeepers still release large numbers of reared birds every year for shooting. It is mostly limited to the ground, being capable of only short flights, however is is a fast runner. It feeds mainly on vegetation, seeds and small fruits.
Habitat:
Farmland, open woodland.
Distribution:
Throughout the British Isles, less so in the far north and west.
Size:
71 cm