Ring-necked Pheasant

Phasianus colchicusOrder: GALLIFORMES Family: Turkeys and Grouse (Phasianidae)

Codes: Common Name: RNEP Scientific Name: PHACOL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175905

Breeding Location:

Forest edge, Grassland with scattered trees, Marshes, freshwater, Swamps

Breeding Type:

Polygamous, Loose colonies

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common

Egg Color:

Dark green buff or brown olive

Number of Eggs:

10 - 12

Incubation Days:

23 - 25

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with grass and weeds.

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

Ring-necked Pheasant: Large, chicken-like pheasant with metallic-brown body, iridescent green head, white neck ring, and bright red eye patch and wattles. Tail is very long and pointed. Female is pale brown overall with dark markings, has shorter tail, and lacks wattle.

Range and Habitat

Ring-necked Pheasant: Native to Asia; introduced to British Columbia, Alberta, Minnesota, Ontario, and Maritime Provinces south to central California, Oklahoma, and Maryland. Preferred habitats include farmlands, pastures, and grassy woodland edges.

Breeding and Nesting

Ring-necked Pheasant: Ten to twelve dark green buff or brown olive eggs are laid in a grass-lined ground depression concealed in dense grass or weeds. Incubation ranges from 23 to 25 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Ring-necked Pheasant: Eats waste grain, seeds, and plant parts. In spring and summer, insects and other arthropods are important foods, especially for chicks; forages mostly on the ground by scratching and grazing.

Readily Eats

Berries, Cracked Corn, Millet

Vocalization

Ring-necked Pheasant: Makes a loud, crowing "caw-cawk" followed by a resonant beating of the wings. When alarmed, flies off with a loud cackle.

Similar Species

Ring-necked Pheasant: Male is unmistakable. Female Sharp-tailed Grouse is shorter-necked, has a slight crest, white outer tail feathers, shorter tail, and feathered legs. Female Sage Grouse has dark belly patch and feathered legs.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Ring-necked Pheasant

Ring-necked Pheasant: Large, chicken-like pheasant with metallic-brown body, iridescent green head, white neck ring, and bright red eye patch and wattles. The tail is very long and pointed. It was first introduced to California from Asia as a game bird in 1857. Very popular bird for hunting.

● Song: "caw-cawk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Ring-necked Pheasant: Eats waste grain, seeds, and plant parts. In spring and summer, insects and other arthropods are important foods, especially for chicks; forages mostly on the ground by scratching and grazing.

● Breeding & nesting: Ring-necked Pheasant: Ten to twelve dark green buff or brown olive eggs are laid in a grass-lined ground depression concealed in dense grass or weeds. Incubation ranges from 23 to 25 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Ring-necked Pheasant: Male is unmistakable. Female Sharp-tailed Grouse is shorter-necked, has a slight crest, white outer tail feathers, shorter tail, and feathered legs. Female Sage Grouse has dark belly patch and feathered legs.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with strong wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Ring-necked Pheasant: Native to Asia; introduced to British Columbia, Alberta, Minnesota, Ontario, and Maritime Provinces south to central California, Oklahoma, and Maryland. Preferred habitats include farmlands, pastures, and grassy woodland edges.

^BreedingPolygamous, Loose colonies

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight46.4 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America