Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

It is one of the most widespread and long-established game birds in the world, introduced to Europe possibly as far back as Roman times and spread widely through rearing on shooting estates.

Weight

1 kg – 1.4 kg

Size

50 cm – 90 cm

Lifespan

2 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

Temperate forestGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal In herds Bird Temperate forest Grassland

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Fun facts

It is polygynous: a single male may hold a harem of as many as twelve females, which he defends fiercely through the breeding season.
It eats seeds, grain, shoots and berries, supplemented with insects and small invertebrates.
Only 5% of birds survive to three years old in the wild.
reproducciónMales grow showy plumage used in courtship displays, while females are far plainer, which helps hide them while they incubate.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Farmland, grassland and open woodland of Central Asia, widely introduced to Europe, North America and elsewhere as a game bird
Birth weight: ~18.5 g at hatching
Size at birth: 18.5 g at hatching
Sexual maturity: ~8 months (240 days)
Gestation / incubation: 22-28 days (usual reference 23-27 days)
Litter / clutch size: 8 to 15 eggs per clutch
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 27 years in captivity

Sources consulted: ScienceDirect Topics; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Birds Wiki (Fandom); Animalia.bio; The Animal Facts; Binocular Base; Animal Diversity Web; PMC (carcass traits study); bioRxiv (genome assembly study)