The pheasant subfamily, which includes the common pheasant species, is quite numerous. It has not only many genera, but also many subspecies. Due to their belonging to different genera, many pheasant species do not interbreed with each other. But when they say "pheasant" they usually mean the Asian species.
Asian view
Another name for this species is the Caucasian pheasant. It was domesticated in the Asian part of the mainland, although today it is widely distributed in the wild. The bird received its name from the city of Phasis located in Colchis (the eastern coast of the Black Sea). From this settlement, according to legend, the Argonauts brought these birds to the European part of the continent. But, given the number of subspecies of the Common Pheasant, he spread himself. But on other continents, this species was introduced by man.
In total, this species has 32 subspecies. It is unclear whether they can be called breeds, since they developed without human participation, but when breeding in a household, these subspecies are usually simply called breeds.
The most common breeds of the Common Pheasant in Russia are Caucasian, Manchurian and Romanian.
For this reason, the description of the hunting pheasant will differ depending on the subspecies. But often only an ornithologist is able to understand all the intricacies of plumage color. As an example of a photo of two varieties of the Common pheasant: Phasianus colchicus principalis (Murghab), inhabiting the Aral-Caspian lowland; below Southern Caucasus Pheasant.
Females of hunting pheasants of any subspecies are gray nondescript birds. It is very difficult to distinguish a pheasant from one subspecies from a female from another.
But in other cases, the color of different subspecies is very different from the typical North Caucasian.
Most suitable for domestic breeding of the "breed" of the Common Pheasant. They are distinguished by a calmer disposition, since they have long been bred in captivity. In addition, it is the largest and most early maturing, and, therefore, the most economically profitable species. Sexual maturity in "Asians" occurs already at the age of one year, while other species mature only by 2 years. Not all Hunting Pheasant subspecies look alike. An inexperienced person may even think that these are different species. This moment is used by unscrupulous sellers, giving out various subspecies of Hunters, as separate breeds of pheasants, and even a photo with a description in this case does not help much, since the subspecies easily interbreed with each other.
On the private farmsteads of pheasant breeders, two subspecies are most common: Caucasian and Romanian. The Romanian pheasant outwardly differs from other subspecies so much that beginners usually do not believe in the subspecies, considering it a breed. But pheasants, like peacocks, although bred in captivity, are not domesticated.Moreover, the "Hunter" and the Romanian subspecies are often bred in order to release them on "free bread" in the fall and give hunters the opportunity to "hunt".
The most common conditional "breeds" of pheasants with photographs and names can be viewed on farms. The only inconvenience in keeping these birds: they should not be allowed to walk on free grazing, like chickens. Most likely they won't come back.
"Domesticated"
The two most common and often confusing subspecies are Caucasian and Romanian. Although, if we compare the photograph of the Caucasian “breed” pheasant with the Romanian one, then, at first glance, there is nothing in common between them.
Caucasian subspecies
In the photo of pheasants, a heterosexual pair of birds. The male is a bright bird with variegated plumage in red-brown tones. The head is covered with black feathers with a strong purple tint. A thin white "collar" separates the black from the red-brown plumage. On the head of a sexually mature male there are areas of red bare skin. During the mating season, the "cheeks" begin to hang down even below the head.
In addition, in a sexually mature male, tufts of feathers grow at the top of the head, resembling horns sticking out back. For the role of "ears" similar to those of the genus of Eared pheasants, these "horns" are not suitable. They do not differ in color from the main plumage of the head and the direction of feather growth is somewhat different.
The color of females matches the color of dried grass. This is an ideal camouflage in the Asian steppes, which burn out in summer, since only the female incubates the eggs.
Body length with tail up to 85 cm. Weight up to 2 kg. Females are smaller than males.
Romanian
The description of the purebred Romanian pheasant is quite simple: the male has a solid black color with a strong emerald tint. Females are much darker than the Caucasian subspecies. The plumage of Romanian pheasants casts a dark bronze.
The origin of the Romanian subspecies is not known for certain. It is believed that this is a hybrid of the Caucasian subspecies and the Japanese emerald pheasant. Bird watchers disagree about Japanese. Some consider it to be a subspecies of the Asiatic, others believe that this is a common superspecies with Asiatic. The latter opinion is based on the fact that sometimes there are hybrids of the Copper Pheasant with the Japanese Emerald. The photo below shows that the Japanese also has little in common with the purebred Romanian. Perhaps Romanian is a spontaneous mutation of the Caucasian subspecies.
Romanians easily interbreed with more common Caucasian ones, introducing additional confusion in the systematization of "breeds" by pheasant breeders. When hybridizing between these two subspecies, birds are obtained in color average between Romanian and Caucasian, as in the photo below.
The purebredness of the Romanian can be determined even in the chicken. The Caucasian chickens are variegated, the Romanian ones are black with white breasts. If we compare the pheasant chicken of the Romanian "breed" with the Caucasian one in the photo, then the difference is obvious.
This difference persists until juvenile molt. White spots in "Romanian" chickens can be of any size, but in an adult bird the color is solid.
The size and productivity of the "Romanians" are the same as those of the Caucasian. Therefore, from the point of view of productive breeding, there is no difference between them. The same situation is with other "breeds" of the Asian species.
Manchurian
As you can see in the photo, the Manchurian subspecies of the Common pheasant is lighter and has almost no "redness" in the plumage. The back is gray plumage, on the belly there are orange feathers. The case is motley beige. You still have to look for a Manchurian female even in the photo.
With its plumage, it completely merges with the withered grass. The color of the Manchurian pheasant is rather light.
On the video purebred Romanian and Hunting Pheasants:
White
This is the only option that, with some stretch, can be called a breed.But this is actually a mutation. In nature, white individuals usually die, but a person can afford to fix a similar color. If there is no pair for the white pheasant, you can use a regular colored Hunter.
These are the main "breeds", which are usually bred in private farmsteads for meat and eggs. If you wish, you can have others. Man is an omnivorous creature and any bird will be good for him. Therefore, theoretically, not only subspecies of the Common pheasant, but also more exotic and vibrant species can be bred for meat.
Decorative
Several genera of these birds fall into the category of decorative birds, one of which, strictly speaking, is not even a pheasant. In addition to Hunting, in the enclosures of Russian pheasant breeders there are also representatives of other genera of pheasant:
- Collar;
- Eared;
- Striped;
- Lofury.
All these birds from the pheasant family, photos and descriptions of which are presented below, can theoretically be bred for meat. In practice, the cost of these pheasants and the timing of their growth, as well as the difficulties in breeding, make these species completely "inedible." Few will raise a hand to send a very expensive bird to the soup.
Collar
This genus got its name for the plumage on the neck, reminiscent of a luxurious medieval collar. The genus includes only two species, and both are found in the enclosures of amateur pheasant breeders.
Gold
The Golden or Golden Pheasant is a native of western China. Belongs to the Vorotnichkov family and does not interbreed with Hunting breeds of pheasants. They tried to acclimatize it in Europe, but the birds mostly died in winter from the cold. Small semi-wild populations exist in the UK and Central Europe. But it is very difficult to see these cautious birds in natural conditions. Therefore, most people have to admire the Golden Pheasant in the photo or in the zoo.
In China, this species is grown in captivity for the sake of beautiful feathers, and also hunted wild representatives of the species. Although the total size of the Chinese population is unknown, this species is not threatened with extinction. Today, the wild population of these birds lives in the southern part of the Trans-Baikal region of the Russian Federation and in Eastern Mongolia. In the UK, the population is no more than 1,000 pairs.
Females, like all representatives of this family, are very modest.
Photo of a pair of birds of the species Golden Pheasant.
The meat of the Golden Pheasant is also edible, but compared to the Hunting Pheasant, it is a very small bird. There is no point in raising Golds for meat in Europe. Many hobbyists keep them as decorative birds.
Thanks to the work of amateurs, the color variations of the Golden Pheasant have also been bred. Particularly Golden yellow.
Diamond
Another representative of the Vorotnichkov family, the Diamond Pheasant, also comes from China. At home, he lives in bamboo forests, preferring mountain slopes. It was exported to the UK, where it prefers to settle in coniferous forests with trees no more than 30 years old.
The bird is very secretive and prefers to hide under the lower branches of fir trees. The modestly colored female of the Diamond Pheasant is difficult to see among the vegetation even in the photo. Even with the fact that the photographer was placing her in the center of the frame.
Compared to the brightly colored males, the pheasants represent a striking contrast.
The diamond pheasant also does not interbreed with other species of these birds. It is bred as an ornamental bird. For productive breeding, this type of interest is not. There are very few of them in Russia, but there are amateurs who keep them to decorate the poultry yard.
Eared
This genus has 4 species. In the photo, the appearance of pheasants with "ears" may seem to be just different breeds or even different colors of the same breed of birds. In fact, these are 4 different species, the ranges of which in nature do not even intersect. Eared pheasants can be:
- Blue;
- Brown;
- White;
- Tibetan.
These birds are not very similar to the usual Hunting birds. Most of all they resemble a guinea fowl.The common name of the genus "Eared" pheasants received for the characteristic bunches of feathers protruding backward on the head.
But the difference between the Eared and the Ordinary is that in the Eared tufts of feathers not only stick out back, but continue the characteristic white stripe running from the base of the beak to the back of the head.
The main feature of Eared Pheasants is the almost complete absence of sexual dimorphism in these birds. In these birds, it is impossible to distinguish the female pheasant from the male either in the photo or "live" until the mating season begins.
Breeding Eared Pheasants for meat is economically unprofitable, since they reach puberty only at 2 years old, and the number of eggs is not large.
Blue
This is the most numerous species of the Eared genus. This species can be found on sale in Russia. Since the tails of representatives of this genus are short, the length of the bird is indicated less than that of other long-tailed species. So the length of the Blue-eared is only 96 cm. The plumage on the head is black. Red naked skin around the yellow eyes. A strip of white feathers extends under the bare skin, turning into "ears". The tail is loose and short. The species feeds mainly on berries and plant foods.
Brown
It is the rarest of all Eared Pheasants. It is in the Red Book, so it can hardly be found on the free market. Accordingly, the data is for informational purposes only. The body size is up to 100 cm. Almost the entire body is brown in color. A white stripe passing into the "ears" covers the head, passing under the beak and bare skin. On the lower back, the plumage is white. The upper covering tail feathers are also white. It feeds on vegetable feed.
White
The species lives in the highlands on the border with eternal snows. Hence, at first glance, such an unmasking color. In fact, in an area where black stones stick out of the snow, the bird's color is ideal for camouflage. The inhabitants of the Himalayas call it "Shagga", that is, "Snowbird".
White-eared has two subspecies, externally differing in the color of the plumage on the wings. In the Sichuan subspecies, the wings are dark gray or purple, in the Yunnan subspecies they are black.
It is impossible to distinguish juveniles by sex, but in adults, the male is almost twice as heavy as the female. The rooster weighs an average of 2.5 kg, the average weight of a female is 1.8 kg.
This species has a good flying ability, which must be taken into account when keeping them at home.
Tibetan
The smallest representative of the genus Eared pheasants. Its body length is 75-85 cm. The name directly indicates its habitat. In addition to Tibet, it is found in northern India and northern Bhutan. Prefers river valleys and grassy slopes of ravines in deciduous and coniferous forests. Usually found between 3 thousand and 5 thousand meters above sea level. Due to the destruction of the habitat, it is an endangered species today.
Variegated
The genus of variegated pheasants includes 5 species:
- Reeves / Royal / Variegated Chinese;
- Elliot;
- Copper;
- Mikado;
- Madame Hume.
All of them are inhabitants of the Eastern part of Eurasia. Copper is endemic to Japan, and Mikado is endemic to Taiwan.
Variegated chinese
The more famous and common name for this elegant bird is the Royal Pheasant. Belongs to the third genus of pheasants - Variegated pheasants. Inhabits the foothills of Central and Northeastern China. This is one of the largest representatives of the pheasant. It is equal in size to the Common Pheasant. The weight of males reaches 1.5 kg. Females are a little less than a kilogram and weigh 950 g.
The motley plumage of females, being more elegant than that of other species, makes them completely invisible against the background of burnt grass. Even in the photo, a female Royal Pheasant is difficult to spot at a quick glance.
Copper
In the photo, the female Romanian pheasant may seem very similar to the male Medny. This is perhaps the most "modest" species of all pheasant.But if the female Romanian has a dark bronze feather all over the body, then the male Copper has a color with a lot of red on the head and neck, and a two-color feather on the belly: the red areas alternate with gray. A definite difference in a sexually mature rooster is the red, bare skin around the eyes.
Elliot
This bird is unlikely to be confused with another species. The conspicuous white neck and motley back immediately give away belonging to Elliot's pheasant. On closer inspection, a white belly will only confirm the first impression. This species lives in East China.
The bird is small compared to the rest. The total length is 80 cm, of which more than half is on the tail. The male weighs up to 1.3 kg, the pheasant weighs up to 0.9 kg.
The body length of the pheasant is 50 cm. But if the rooster has a tail 42-47 cm long, then the female has 17-19.5 cm.
Elliot's pheasant is bred in captivity. Since birds are very secretive, all data on their mating behavior are obtained from observations of individuals kept in captivity.
Mikado
Endemic about. Taiwan and its unofficial symbol. The bird is small. Together with the tail, it can be from 47 to 70 cm. It is endangered and is listed in the World Red Book.
Mistress Hume (Yuma)
In color, this species simultaneously resembles the Manchu subspecies of the Common pheasant and the Elliot pheasant. The bird is quite large. Length 90 cm. The name was given in honor of the wife of the British naturalist Allan Hume.
Lives in Southeast Asia. The species is very rare and is listed in the Red Book.
Lofurs
The name "pheasant" for these species is erroneous, although in the photo it is difficult to distinguish these from real pheasants. Lofurs are part of the same family as the genus of Real and Collar Pheasants. The second name of the Lofur genus is Chicken Pheasants. Their food addictions are the same. Behavior and marriage ceremonies are similar. Therefore, lofur is easy to confuse with Real Pheasants. But these birds cannot interbreed.
Silver
In fact, the Silver Pheasant is a lofur from the lofur genus. But this genus also belongs to the pheasant family. Externally, the Silver Pheasant differs from real pheasants in longer legs and a bushy crescent-shaped tail. Metatarsus of the Silver Pheasant, as seen in the photo, are bright red. Another difference between lofura and real hunting pheasants can also be seen in the photo: a backward-facing bunch of feathers on the head.
On the back, neck and tail feathers, small stripes of white and black alternate. Sometimes, as in the photo above, the pheasant's "silver" can give way to greenish plumage.
Young pheasants have no silver. The plumage of the back is gray-black.
Unlike the bright black and white male, the female silver pheasant in the photo can only be guessed by the silhouette and bright red legs.
By itself, the Silver Pheasant is a medium-sized bird. But the length of the tail is usually added to the size of the birds and data is indicated from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail. Therefore, with a relatively equal body size, the length of the male is almost twice as long. The male lofura reaches 90-127 cm in length, the female is only 55-68. The weight of males varies from 1.3 to 2 kg, while females weigh about 1 kg.
Black lofura
The second name is the Nepalese pheasant. According to the photo and description, this type of chicken pheasant can be confused with a young Silver. But the color of the feathers on the back and neck of the Black Lofura is not white, like that of Silver, but more resembles the feathers of a blue guinea fowl.
Lives in the mountains of Asia. The bird is relatively small, weighing 0.6-1.1 kg. The length of the male is up to 74 cm, of the females - up to 60 cm.
Breeding
All species and breeds of pheasants breed very well in captivity. But to obtain offspring from these birds, an incubator is needed. In order for the pheasant to sit down to incubate the eggs herself, she needs to create conditions in the enclosure that are similar to natural conditions. This means a large open-air cage area and many hiding places of bushes and houses on the territory. Pheasants are secretive birds. Unlike domestic chickens, they are poorly satisfied with nest boxes easily accessible to strangers.
The collected eggs are placed in an incubator and the chicks are hatched in the same way as the chicks.The incubation period of eggs in different species is from 24 to 32 days.
Conclusion
As a productive bird, the pheasant is economically disadvantageous. But if there is a need to grow it for meat or for hunting, then it does not really matter whether the "pure" subspecies is slaughtered or released. Photos of different "breeds" of pheasants are important only if there is a need to breed a subspecies "clean". And photographs are needed only to get an idea of what a particular subspecies of the Common Pheasant looks like.
