Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing pheasants. There is no one specific group of birds commonly known as pheasants. These birds are part of the larger group that includes quails, partridges, peafowls, and chickens. One bird commonly known as a pheasant may actually be more closely related to a quail or partridge than any other bird with the common name pheasant, hence the lack of a single group. Generally speaking, pheasants are larger than quails and partridges. There are approximately 50 living pheasant species, and they make up about 25% of the species in their taxonomic family. There are blood pheasants, cheer pheasants, eared pheasants, and more. The common pheasant and green pheasant are considered the "true" pheasants.

Many viewers from the Americas are likely familiar with these showy birds, but did you know pheasants are not native to either North or South America? All the pheasants living in the western hemisphere today are introduced species. Pheasants are native to Asian countries! Today, pheasants have a wide range, especially throughout the northern hemisphere if we include their introduced range. If the Congo peafowl is included as a pheasant, as it is sometimes called the Congo pheasant, then it’s the only pheasant species native to Africa!

These birds dwell in forests and grasslands. They live from tropical rainforests to scrubby mountains and can frequently be heard in meadows. Here's an example of a pheasant call: (audio). Pheasants spend a lot of their time on the ground. They take dust baths to clean their feathers and they dig in the dirt with their feet to rustle up food. These birds eat grubs, worms, lizards, snakes, nuts, fruit, berries, and seeds. In turn, these birds have to watch out for skunks, raccoons, foxes, fishers, hawks, crows, and snakes. Humans also hunt pheasants for sport and food. Though they spend a lot of time on the ground, pheasants can fly. When startled, they’ll take flight. They often roost in trees or dense ground vegetation. These birds have rounded wings that reach two feet (60cm) across on average. In length, pheasants range from 20 to 32 inches (50-80cm).

Male pheasants are typically larger than females, have more colorful plumage, and sport dangling wattles. They sometimes have a long, showy tail used for capturing a female's affection. Some male pheasants fight each other over partners and these matches can end in fatality for the loser! Pheasants may form pairs for a breeding season or small flocks in which a single male breeds with multiple females. Sometimes males form groups and put on displays at the same time to attract potential mates and others defend a territory from rivals. Pheasant eggs are usually laid on the ground, though sometimes their nests are made in trees. Nests average a dozen eggs. The female does the incubation but the male may offer protection either by defending his mate or an entire territory. It takes just over three weeks for the chicks to hatch. Like ducks, they leave the nest immediately and follow their mother to forage. In one to two months, they gain independence. They can live to be ten or older in captivity, but most only live a few years in the wild due to predation.

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