Pheasant, Ring-necked

Physical Features

The Pheasant is a bird that comes in a range of colors. The males have a red bare face devoid of feathers. Their head is a glistening, bottle-green color and a white line around the neck. The breast has a maroon color and the flanks have an off orange hue. The tail is elongated and pointed and the rump gray. The female on the other hand has a brown color with black speckles on its back and wings long and rounded in flight. The length of the Ring-necked Pheasant ranges from 20 – 28 inches (25- 70)cm while its weight is about 18- 105 ounces.

Habitat

These birds are natives to the Asian continent and can be found in great numbers in China, Taiwan as well as the Black and Caspian seas. This pheasant is commonly found living in farmlands and agricultural spaces, which have marshes, grasslands, bushy grove and hedges located on them. They love habitats with water and well vegetated land on which to feed and roost.

Diet

This omnivore feeds on a wide array of species of grasses. They particularly like the blossoms of grasses. They also enjoy nuts, wild berries and fruits as well as insects like earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, lizards and small snakes.

Meat

The meat of this bird is commonly used in the kitchens of United Kingdom and the U.S. They are considered prime meat. They are usually shot and hung to improve its quality. It is then roasted or fried. Pheasant meat is becoming increasingly popular in cooking in an effort to reduce the consumption of red meat which is commonly associated with heart disease and other degenerative ailments.

Behavior

Breeding occurs between April and June. The females lay on average 8- 10 eggs. The incubation period is about 24 days. The nest is usually made up of grass, twigs, leaves and moss often located on the ground around a well-vegetated area to hide from potential prey. The Pheasant prefers to run as opposed to flying. However, in situations of distress and panic these birds can take off with great speeds. The speed of their flight is about 60 mph but when chased it can be as fast as 90 mph.

An interesting behavior of this bird is that it takes dust baths in an effort to remove parasite. These birds see human as potentially dangerous to them, so as soon as they notice human activity they usually move away to find new habitat. The Ring -necked Pheasant is commonly called 'game birds'. They are bred on farms to be hunted and shot. This is very popular in some parts of Europe. This has led to significant decline in the population of Pheasants. As such, such sports have been limited to an open season lasting for few months in an effort to reduce the rapidly declining population.

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