male (left), female (right)
The pheasant (phasianus colchicus) is a bird in the phasianidae family.
Description
It is a big gamebird with a very long tail. The male has a rusty red-brown body, brown wings, gray back, brown tail and iridescent green-blue head with red skin. The female is pale brown. Both sexes are mottled with dark brown, white and black.
Behavior
The pheasant spends much of its time in the tall grass, hiding from predators and eating seeds. It usually doesn't like to fly much, but when a predator (for example a fox) attacks it, it takes off very quickly, starting an almost vertical flight and landing on a tree or any other safe place.
Feeding
It eats mainly seeds, vegetables and sometimes insects.
Reproduction
The male is polygamous. The pheasants nests on the ground, making a nest with straw and feathers, where the female lays about 6 white eggs. The chicks are nidifugous and are covered with a brown down.
Distribution and habitat
The pheasant lives in fields and moorlands. Pheasants are from Asia, but were introduced in Europe since ancient times. They were later imported in North America.