Himalayan Pheasants

About Himalayan Pheasants

• The Common pheasant is a colorful bird renowned for the striking plumage of the male. 
• Scientific name: Its scientific name is Phasianus colchicus. 
• Family: It is a group of ground-dwelling birds belonging to the family Phasianidae.  
• Native to: It is native to Asia but has been introduced to many parts of the world, including Europe, North America, and New Zealand. 
  • The Indian subcontinent is home to 51 pheasant species, of which 20 are endemic to the Indian Himalayas.
    • Some of the well known Himalayan pheasant species are white-crested kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos hamiltoni), Western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus),  Cheer pheasant  (Catreus wallichii ), Blyth’s Tragopan (Tragopan blythii), etc. 
• Habitat: It occupies habitats ranging from tropical forests to alpine meadows.
• Characteristics:
  • Appearance: 
    • It is a distinctive bird, known for its colourful plumage.
    • There are many color forms of the male Common pheasant, ranging in color from nearly white to almost black in some melanistic examples. 
    • The adult male has a long brown streaked black tail.
    • The body plumage is barred bright gold or fiery copper-red and chestnut-brown plumage with iridescent sheen of green and purple, but the rump uniform is sometimes blue. 
    • The wing coverage is white or cream and black-barred markings are common on the tail. 
    • The head is bottle green with a small crest and distinctive red wattle. 
    • Behind the face are two ear-tufts, that make the pheasant more alert. 
    • The female and juveniles are much less showy, with a duller mottled brown plumage. 
  • Diet: It is omnivores and feeds upon insects, plants and grains.
  • Behaviour: Outside the breeding season, pheasants are usually solitary or form small groups. In winter, they may gather in larger flocks for safety and warmth.
• Threat: The main threats are habitat loss, hunting, grazing, deforestation, forest fires, human disturbance, and climate change. 
• Conservation status: Different species of the pheasant have been categorized under IUCN  from least concern to vulnerable.