Ring-necked In the United States and southern Canada, pheasants can be seen striding over broad fields and weedy roadside ditches. Males have iridescent copper-and-gold plumage, a crimson face, and a crisp white collar, and their rooster-like crowing may be heard from up to a mile away. Females have a similar appearance but are less colorful. The brown females blend in with their surrounding field environment.
Quick Overview: Phasianus Colchicus – Ring-necked Pheasant
Body size: Around 21-36 in (30-33 cm) and a weight of 1989 g (70.19 oz)
Main colors: Green, Red, White, Gold, Copper (Brown), Black
Range: Northeastern the United States
Migratory Bird: No
Best time of the year to see in the U.S.: All Year (January – December)
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Ring-necked Pheasant Description
Large game bird with ostentatious plumage that includes a green head with red facial skin, a white-collar, and gold to the coppery body with black and white patches on the wings and tail.
Size
These birds have a length of 21-36 in (30-33 cm) and a weight of 1989 g (70.19 oz). Their wings could range from 30-32 in (73-81 cm).
Feeding
Ring-necked turtles are mostly reliant on plant feeds such as agricultural field waste grains, wild and farmed forb, and grass seeds, fruits, and leaves, among other things. When it comes to adult pheasants, insects are the most important part of their food during the spring and summer months, and they make up nearly all of the diet of pheasant chicks during the first five weeks after hatching.
Habitat
Pheasants are found in a variety of settings, including grassland and farms. For the cover, they prefer open areas such as grass and stubble fields, and they may be found in a variety of habitat types including grassy areas with ditches, hedges, marshes, and tree stands or shrubs.
Behavior
They feed mostly on the ground, scratching and grazing while they do so. They take food largely on the ground, either scratching or digging with their bill. In addition, they emit a loud, crowing “caw-cawk,” which is followed by a resonant thumping of the wing. When startled, flies away with a loud chuckle in his throat.
Phasianus Colchicus Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Galliformes
- Family: Phasianidae
- Genus: Phasianus
- Species: Phasianus colchicus
Best time of the year to see
In the United States, the best time of year to see these birds is all year round, regardless of the season. This refers to any month of the year between January and December.
Distribution of the Ring-necked Pheasant in the USA
Native to Asia; spans from southern British Columbia, Alberta, Minnesota, Ontario, and the Maritime Provinces south to central California, the Midwest states, northern Texas, and the mid-Atlantic states.
The Ring-necked Pheasant can be found in the following states in the United States – Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.