Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicus
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Galliformes · Phasianidae
About
The common pheasant, ring-necked pheasant, or blue-headed pheasant, is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin phasianus 'pheasant'. The species name colchicus is Latin for 'of Colchis', a country on the Black Sea where pheasants became known to Europeans. Although Phasianus was previously thought to be closely related to the genus Gallus, the genus of junglefowl and domesticated chickens, recent studies show that they are in different subfamilies, having diverged over 20 million years ago.
Fun Fact
Common pheasants are named after the river Phasis (now Rioni) in Georgia, from where the ancient Greeks first brought them to Europe — they have since been introduced to every temperate continent.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Farmland and open woodlands
Diet
Omnivore
Lifespan
1-3 years
Threats
- Illegal Logging
- Deforestation