Pheasant


Pheasants are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced populations, the pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eurasia. The classification "pheasant" is paraphyletic, as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamilies Phasianinae and Pavoninae, and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey than to other pheasants.
Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly decorated with bright colours and adornments such as wattles. 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 that it sounds like a rusty sink 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.
The best-known is the common pheasant, 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.

Etymology

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "pheasant" ultimately comes from Phasis, the ancient name of the Rioni River in Georgia.
It passed from Greek to Latin to French then to English, appearing for the first time in English around 1299.

Species in taxonomic order

This list is ordered to show presumed relationships between species.

Previous classifications

Euplocamus and Gennceus are older names more or less corresponding to the current Lophura.Euplocamus was used, for example, by Hume and Marshall in their Game Birds of India, Burmah and Ceylon.Gennceus, was used, for example, by Frank Finn in and .
These old genera were used for:
VernacularHume & MarshallFinn: Sporting BirdsFinn: Game BirdsContemporary
Vieillot's crested firebackE. viellotiLophura rufa L. ignita rufa
Black-backed kalijE. melanonotusG. melanonotusL. leucomelanos melanota
Common or white-crested kalijE. albocristatusG. albocristatusL. leucomelanos hamiltoni
Nepal kalijE. leucomelanusG. leucomelanusL. leucomelanos leucomelanos
Purple, Horsfield's or black-breasted kalijE. horsfieldiG. horsfieldiL. leucomelanos lathami
Lineated kalijE. lineatusG. lineatus also: Burmese silver pheasantL. leucomelanos lineata
Anderson's silver pheasant?G. andersoni, considered hybrid of L. nycthemera and L. l. lineataL. nycthemera andersoni
Crawfurd's silver pheasant E. andersoniconsidered a further cross of Anderson's and L. l. lineata?
Crawfurd's kalij ?G. andersoniL. leucomelanos crawfurdi
Cuvier's kalij?G. cuvieri?
Oates's kalij?G. oatesiL. leucomelanos oatesi
Whitehead's silver pheasant?G. whiteheadi?
Swinhoe's kalij?G. swinhoiiL. swinhoii