Breeds of pheasants: description with names, characteristics and photos

Common pheasant

The common pheasant is exactly the bird that was once hunted in the forests. Later, the bird was tamed to decorate royal courts and supply valuable meat to the table. The homeland of this breed is the Caucasus, they also lived in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Today this breed is actively chosen by farmers for breeding for meat.

Description. In appearance, the bird looks like ordinary chickens. But there are also striking differences - firstly, long tail feathers, tapering towards the ends. Secondly, the presence of red skin near the eyes - a facial “mask”. Male pheasants always look brighter than females. The silver-gray plumage of males has a lot of eye-catching shades - yellow, orange, purple, piercing green. There are turquoise feathers on the neck and head. Females have only three primary colors in their plumage - gray, black and light brown. The legs of males are equipped with spurs. The tail of males reaches a length of 55 cm, the tail of females – 30 cm.

Productivity. The weight of the male is 1.8-2 kg, the weight of the female is up to 1.5 kg. Body length is 80 and 60 cm, respectively. The female carries about 50 eggs during the mating period. Per day – 1-2 pieces. Typically, egg laying lasts from April to mid-June.

Other features. In nature, they settle in areas where there are bushes, tall grass, ponds, fields with corn or wheat. Males are aggressive towards rivals - they engage in fights that can be fatal. Females lay 8-15 eggs. The masonry is done in a hole dug in the ground. The female incubates the eggs herself for 3-4 weeks. The chicks grow up at about 5 months.

Maintenance and care. It is this breed that is most common in hunting farms. In nature, the bird eats berries and insects. When kept artificially, they are unpretentious in food. The main condition of keeping, as for any breed of pheasants, is a large indoor enclosure. Pheasants tolerate frost well, but not drafts. Birds are kept in pairs. The floor is covered with sawdust or straw.

Pheasant: description

Common or Caucasian pheasants represent the largest birds of the gallinaceous order. This species includes 32 subspecies of pheasants, which differ in the color of their plumage.

Appearance

This bird is characterized by the following data, depending on gender:

The total length of the body, including the tail, ranges from 50 to 90 cm.
Birds weigh between 1-2 kilograms.
The length of the tail is in the range of 20-60 centimeters.

The wings are short, oval-shaped, while the tail is relatively long, wedge-shaped. The limbs are armed with spurs. It is not difficult to distinguish a female from a male, since females are smaller in size and their plumage is not as brightly colored as that of males.

Interesting to know! The areas around the eyes and on the cheeks are devoid of feathers, which is one of the characteristic features of the appearance of these birds. During breeding periods, these parts of the body are painted bright red.

Males are distinguished by such bright, varied and attractive colors that they indicate the unique capabilities of nature. As a rule, the main color tone is made in golden-red shades with a purple tint. The wings are light brown, and the head area is painted in emerald-metallic shades. The front of the neck and chest area are purple, with a metallic tint. The nape area is characterized by inclusions of long golden feathers, and their top has a green border. The back of the neck area is a deep blue color with a purple tint. The anterior region of the plumage is characterized by the presence of dark spots in the form of scales. The upper part of the body is characterized by the presence of a red edging. The lower part of the body is lighter. The belly area is dark brown, and the limbs and beak are yellow.

Depending on the subspecies, the color of these birds can differ significantly. Georgian pheasants are distinguished by the presence of a brown spot in the belly area, edged with golden feathers. The Japanese pheasant is characterized by a brilliant green color of its plumage, while the color of the Khiva subspecies is more copper-red.

Females cannot boast of a bright, attractive plumage color, which makes them inconspicuous in the natural environment, since they have to incubate eggs and then feed the chicks. Their color mainly contains sandy-brown tones, while against the general background there is a black-brown pattern in the form of scales. The neck and head areas are characterized by the presence of stripes, which is why these parts of the body are darker in color. In addition, you can notice, although with difficulty, the presence of a purple tint. The upper part of the chest and lower cheeks are characterized by the presence of semicircular spots of brown shades. The legs and beak are gray.

Pheasant - interesting facts

Character and lifestyle

Such colorful plumage of such birds also has a negative side, since it allows such birds to be spotted at a considerable distance, which is beneficial for various predators. For the same reason, pheasants are considered very shy and cautious birds. As a rule, the pheasant prefers to constantly hide in dense thickets of bushy vegetation or in dense grass. If possible, the pheasant climbs trees and rests at a height, hiding in the crowns and foliage of trees. Before descending to the ground, the bird carefully examines the space on the ground. If there is no danger, then it falls down like a stone, and then sharply spreads its wings to glide, making a soft landing.

Interesting moment! The pheasant, compared to other representatives of the chicken family, is distinguished by its high running speed. When running, it stretches its neck and head forward, and also raises its tail to the same level, which creates a minimum of resistance when running.

Basically, these birds adhere to same-sex groups, with the exception of the breeding season. It should be noted that groups of males number more individuals compared to groups of females, which are not so numerous. The main peak of activity occurs in the morning and evening hours, when these birds go in search of food. Their behavior changes significantly with the arrival of spring, when these birds form groups - families. In such groups, pheasants try to stay close to bodies of water, where there is always something to eat. As a rule, such places are always rich in plant and other foods. Their favorite places are associated with thickets of thorny vegetation, which reliably shelters them from natural enemies. They also prefer tugai thickets or dense thickets of reeds. They build their nests on the ground, as close to water bodies as possible. They mainly make sounds during flight, although they cannot be called unique, but during the breeding season the range of sounds is more extensive.

How long does a pheasant live?

Living in the natural environment, these birds rarely live to be 7 and a half years old, but when in captivity, the life expectancy of these birds increases by 2 times.

Where does it live?

The pheasant bird is quite common in the natural environment, so it can be found in the vastness of the Iberian Peninsula to the Japanese Islands. This bird lives in the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, the Far East, Europe, and North America. These birds thrive in areas where the snow cover is no more than 20 centimeters thick in winter. It is also found in mountainous conditions, at altitudes up to 2 and a half thousand meters above sea level.

Where does the pheasant sit? Pheasant habitats.

What does it eat?

The pheasant diet includes more than a hundred food components of plant origin, as well as components of animal origin in the form of various insects, invertebrates, and their larvae. And yet, pheasants prefer plant foods in the form of seeds, fruits, berries and shoots. The offspring that are born eat food of animal origin for a month, but as they grow older, they almost completely switch to food items of plant origin.

Good digestion is ensured by pebbles, so the bird, in addition to food components, swallows them. Basically, the pheasant finds food for itself in the ground, raking its surface with its strong limbs and sharp beak. In addition to the ground, these birds also find food for themselves on bushy vegetation, jumping high. When their diet becomes scarce, they feed on the fruits left on the trees.

Reproduction and offspring

With the onset of spring, the behavior of these birds undergoes changes. If before they adhered to same-sex groups, now males prefer to separate from their group in order to find a territory for themselves and actively defend it.

This territory, covering an area of up to five thousand square meters, is constantly patrolled. Males show by this that the territory is occupied, but at the same time they actively attract females. Females, unlike males, prefer to stay in groups of several individuals. The male from this group tries to choose a partner for himself.

Important point! Living in the natural environment, pheasants exhibit monogamy, but when in captivity, these birds exhibit polygamy.

While patrolling the captured territory, males have to not only invite females, but also actively defend it from their fellows. When choosing a female, the male behaves quite actively.

The mating dance of a pheasant is based on the fact that it rises and begins to beat its wings in the air, while they do not touch the ground. At this moment, his tail opens, rising by 50 degrees. In addition, the male actively uses his beak, loosening the soil with it and finding seeds, which he throws into the air, accompanying this with flapping wings, and also demonstrates vocal vibrations. At moments of highest excitement and approaching the female, the pheasant begins to make slightly different, muffled sounds.

During this period, in males, parts of the body that lack plumage turn red. Before copulation, the male walks around his partner, making hissing sounds. After fertilization, the female begins to form a nest. The female is responsible for building the nest and raising the offspring alone, without the participation of the male. As a rule, the average diameter of the nest is about 20 centimeters, and its depth reaches from 2 to 12 centimeters. The nest is located on the ground, in a well-protected place from natural enemies.

From mid-March to early April, females lay brown eggs. In one day she manages to lay up to a dozen of these eggs, after which she sits on the eggs and incubates them for 3 weeks. She practically never leaves the egg clutch, protecting it from small predators who are not averse to profiting from the eggs. She can leave the nest for a short time to eat something, and then only when she feels that her strength is running out. During these three weeks, she loses almost half of her body weight, although some males are nearby and bring food for the female.

Interesting moment! Often there are broods of pheasant chicks even in the fall, although the female lays eggs only once a year. Typically, this happens when, for some reason, a clutch of eggs or a brood dies, forcing the female to lay eggs again.

Once born, the offspring can follow their mother to feed within a couple of hours. After a couple of weeks, the pheasant chicks can fly, but they need protection for 2 and a half months. It is the responsibility of the female to teach her offspring to obtain food for themselves, especially since the chicks need food high in protein, and this is mainly animal food. Pheasants are ready to breed around the age of seven months, which indicates their complete independence.

Many individuals begin to actively reproduce after 9 months of life, although this is mainly characteristic of males, since females can lay eggs the following spring. While in captivity, females unite, helping each other care for the offspring, which can number up to fifty chicks. Even in such conditions, males do not take any part in the process of raising offspring, but at the same time they can form families, which include 2-3 females, who lay eggs every year.

Natural enemies

These birds living in the natural environment have enough enemies in the form of predatory animals and birds of prey.

Important point! In the first year of life, up to 80 percent of the juveniles die.

Humans pose the main threat to the life of such birds, since they have very valuable meat and these birds serve as objects for hunting. In the process of hunting pheasants, hunting dogs are used, which force the birds to leave their hiding places, rising into the air. At this moment, the hunter shoots the bird with a gun.

Hunting

The hunting breed was obtained by crossing green and common pheasants. The population is small. After crossing a hybrid, a variety of subspecies appear. Today, the hunting pheasant is found in the United States and Europe.

Description. The coloring is varied - from pure white to black. Males are traditionally more luxurious than females. The plumage is green or lilac. The color is dominated by brown, orange, burgundy and bronze shades. Males have a red “mask”, a black cap and a snow-white collar. The legs are powerful, decorated with spurs.

Productivity. The average weight of a female is 1.5 kg, a male is 2 kg. Body length is 80 cm, but 50 cm of this is the length of the tail. Females are distinguished by high egg production - they can lay up to 60 eggs in three months.

Other features. It is distinguished by fertility and excellent health. Often used for breeding - to breed unique subspecies. The meat is tasty and dietary - with low cholesterol content.

Male hunting pheasants are polygamous - they can live with 3-4 females at the same time. They can conflict with other males, seeking the attention of the “lady” they like.

Maintenance and care. The bird is responsive to the nutritional value of the feed - as soon as it is increased, weight gain immediately increases. They reproduce well and gain weight in artificial conditions. They are bred for slaughter, as well as for resale to hunting farms. The keeping of pheasants is almost the same as that of chickens. But during the mating period, it is better to separate males from each other to avoid conflicts. Ideal conditions are a family of a male and six females. One pheasant needs 75 g of food daily, and 80 g during nesting.

Pheasants eating Colorado potato beetles in potato fields improves the taste of the meat.

Purchasing pheasants

When it comes to purchasing, it is better to give preference to nurseries or well-known breeders.

It is advisable to buy birds from different people to avoid inbreeding, as this will lower the immunity of future birds and make them infertile.

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First, buy 2-4 pairs of birds, and then, once you get involved in the process of keeping them, you can buy more.

Green

The green or Japanese pheasant has been the national bird of Japan since 1947. Their habitat was previously limited to the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. The green pheasant has several subspecies of common and hunting breeds in its pedigree, therefore, when bred, it produces many color options.

Description. The back and chest of the male are covered in emerald feathers. The neck is covered with purple feathers. The tail is purple-green. Females do not have bright plumage - they are colored in brown-brown shades. There are black inclusions.

Productivity. The average weight of a male is 1.9-1.2 kg. Body length is 75-89 cm, of which 25-45 cm is the length of the tail. Females reach a length of 50-53 cm, tail length - 21-27 cm. There are 7-9 eggs in a clutch.

Other features. Males do not show much aggression. Green pheasants live for about 15 years. They love hilly terrain, tall grass, thickets, and shrubs. They live in monogamous and polygamous families.

Maintenance and care. The bird is hardy and resistant to cold. Can be kept like regular chickens. Can be kept on farms and zoos without any problems. The main condition is the presence of a large covered enclosure with grass and shrubs. The diet of birds living in natural conditions includes cereals, young shoots, berries, fruits, worms, mice, snakes and lizards. In artificial conditions they require adequate nutrition. Their diet includes grain feed, mixed feed, finely chopped vegetables, cottage cheese, herbs, and insects.

The green pheasant has several subspecies, which, while similar, have slight differences in the color of the mantle, belly, collars, heads, paws and beaks. Species and their habitats are in Table 1.

Table 1

Subspecies of green pheasant	Habitats
Northern	north of Hondo Island; Sado Island.
Southern	western part and center of Hondo Island; Kyushu Island.
Pacific	east and center of Hondo Island; islands of the Izu system.

What does a pheasant eat?

Photo: Pheasant

Pheasants are omnivorous birds, and therefore pheasants feed on both plant and animal matter. But the largest proportion of the diet consists of only a plant diet, with the exception of the first four weeks of life, when the chicks mainly eat insects. Then the share of animal food decreases sharply. Plant food consists of seeds, as well as underground parts of plants. The spectrum ranges from tiny seeds of small clove plants to nuts or acorns.

Birds can eat hard-shelled fruits and berries that are poisonous to humans. In late winter and spring, shoots and fresh leaves become a priority in the diet. increasingly collected. The range of food varies depending on the area. Small insects and their larvae often accumulate in surprising numbers. For digestion, 1-5 mm pebbles are taken or, if this fails, parts of snail shells or small bones. During breeding, females are more likely to ingest limestone pebbles.

The search for food occurs mainly on the ground. Birds sometimes break through fresh snow up to 30-35 cm deep. Often food is collected in the form of tiny components, pieces of larger products.

The main diet of pheasants consists of:

seeds;
berries;
shoots;
grains;
fruit;
insects;
worms;
caterpillars;
snails;
grasshoppers;
larvae;
crickets;
sometimes small reptiles;
lizards

Pheasants forage early in the morning and in the evening. Important crops that birds eat include corn, wheat, barley and flax.

Diamond

This is one of the most beautiful birds in the world. The second name of the diamond pheasant is Lady Amhrest, received in honor of the wife of the Governor General, who sent the bird to London from India. From there, the diamond pheasant spread throughout Europe.

Description. The pheasant was called Diamond for a reason; its plumage shimmers like a precious stone. On the head there are wide white feathers, similar to an old wig. The chest is olive or emerald, turning into a white belly. The crop has a combination of white and black feathers. On the back there is blue-black plumage. The bird's tail is especially luxurious. Females look traditionally modest - brownish-motley plumage, bluish skin around the eyes.

Productivity. The average weight of a male is 0.9-1.3 kg. Female – 0.8 kg. There are 7-10 or more eggs in a clutch. The female is capable of laying up to 30 eggs per season.

Other features. Birds have high adaptive abilities. They can get along with other types of birds - chickens, pigeons, etc. They have a calm, peaceful disposition, are not shy, and easily make contact with people. Diamond pheasant meat is dietary, very tender and pleasant to the taste. Eggs are high in protein.

Maintenance and care. The bird, despite its exotic appearance, tolerates cold well and is not demanding on living conditions. It is easy to breed in private backyards. They are housed in spacious enclosures in families, but one male – two females. The enclosure should be divided into zones for pairs. To help birds gain weight faster, they are given fish oil. The rest of the diet is similar to chicken. Eats greens, grains, worms, vegetables and fruits. Bred for hunting and decorative purposes.

Why are pheasants bred?

Since the times of Ancient Rus', pheasants have been considered a delicacy, served only at social events. Over time, their existence was forgotten, but everyone knows that everything new is well-forgotten old, so the fashion for breeding these birds has returned again. Due to special climatic conditions, pheasants can not be bred in all countries of the world, but Russia is not among them. Let's figure out what the value of these birds is and why they are bred?

Firstly, the chicks are raised for subsequent transfer to special hunting nurseries. In other words, the birds are subsequently released into the wild, but only in those places where they are hunted.

Pheasants are often raised for transfer to hunting nurseries

Secondly, pheasants are also raised for preparing those delicacies that were discussed at the beginning of the article. In addition, animal meat has now been recognized as dietary, which additionally gives it value in the era of diets and proper nutrition. In this case, common pheasants are used for cultivation. Of additional value are eggs, which are also considered a dietary product and an excellent base for homemade cosmetics.

Pheasant meat is considered dietary

For calculations, it should be said that on average, pheasants lay 1 egg every 2 days, while it takes 5 months to raise an adult.

Gold

This breed is distinguished by its special majesty and beauty of plumage. Bred for meat and for decorative purposes. The bird lives in Eastern Europe. It can be found in nature reserves; in other areas it is a rare visitor. But the homeland of the Golden Pheasant is not Europe, but Southwestern China and Eastern Tibet.

Description. The main difference of the breed is its golden crest, along the edges of which there is a black outline. The belly is dark burgundy. Females do not have a crest. The feather color of males combines yellow, orange, black, ocher and blue shades. The neck is decorated with an orange “collar” with a dark border. The tail is long and luxurious. Females are smaller in size and more modest in plumage.

Productivity. Average weight – 1.3 kg. There are 7-10 or more eggs in a clutch. During a season, a female can lay up to 45 eggs, young ones – up to 20 eggs. The peculiarity of the golden pheasant is that if you take the eggs right away, the egg production increases.

Other features. Meat with excellent taste. Disadvantage: weak immunity.

Maintenance and care. Breeding is not particularly difficult. Since the bird is prone to diseases, it is recommended to give it antibiotics along with feed. Although golden pheasants have low immunity, they tolerate frost well - they can withstand temperatures down to minus 35 degrees without harm to their health. This bird can be kept in unheated areas. Find more information about the golden pheasant and its cultivation here.

The golden pheasant has several interesting subspecies. They occur naturally, and breeders also have them:

Red pheasant. This is a wild variety of Golden Pheasant, introduced to breeders after the work of breeders.
Bordeaux. It has a color similar to the Golden Pheasant, but instead of red feathers it has burgundy feathers. This species was the first to be bred from the domesticated red pheasant.
Golden Gigi. He got his name in honor of the Italian Gigi, who was involved in his breeding. A distinctive feature of the species is that the entire body is covered with yellow-green plumage.
Cinnamon. This species was bred in the USA. Instead of blue and green plumage, it has gray feathers on its back.

Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

Golden pheasant red

Golden pheasant Bordeaux

Golden Gigi

Golden Cinnamon (Cinnamon)

Buying eggs and chicks

Pheasant eggs are not very expensive. The main problem is that their shells are too fragile, which can be easily damaged during transportation. In addition, eggs should not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature, which is why it is better for beginners in poultry farming to purchase four-week-old young animals.

Typically, healthy individuals are distinguished by good mobility, they are well oriented in space, and have shiny, bright plumage.

In this case, the main selection criterion is not the quality of the feather, but the skin of the chicks - it should have a pinkish color, but not too intense. The nostrils should also be carefully examined - in healthy birds they are clean, without discharge.

Chicks aged 4-5 weeks

Important point! It is difficult for an inexperienced person to distinguish pheasants by gender before 4-5 months, so you should refuse an earlier purchase.

It is not necessary to buy only young animals for breeding purposes. You should also pay attention to adults. For example, if you place them in an enclosure in the fall, then over the winter they will adapt to a new place, and in the spring they will begin to reproduce.

Royal

This is the largest pheasant, which is bred mainly for decorative purposes. The bird's homeland is the mountainous areas in northern and central China. In Europe, this breed is bred in hunting grounds; in Russia it can be seen in zoozones. The king pheasant is often called the pied pheasant or the Chinese pheasant.

Description. The plumage is yellow-brown and resembles scales. Each feather is surrounded by a dark border. There is a black border around the neck. There are light feathers on the crown. The female is more modestly colored - she has golden-yellow plumage, on which dark blotches are visible. The tail is white, luxurious, framed in brown, up to 2 m long. The chest and back of the head of males are orange or almond. The beak and paws are gray. The head is white, the “mask” is black.

Productivity. Average weight – 1.3 kg. There are 7-14 eggs in a clutch.

Other features. Prefers to move on the ground - wings are rarely used. They live up to 14 years. They are extremely timid. This bird is not only beautiful, it has tasty and tender meat.

Maintenance and care. They can withstand cold weather. They rarely get sick. But they don't like dampness. It is important that the enclosures are dry. It is necessary to build perches for them. Coniferous trees are used to make them. Pheasants need perches for observation - this is their favorite pastime. Sitting on perches, they often treat the skin of their paws, which is very delicate.

The population density of the enclosure is 1 individual per 1 sq. m. 75 g of mixed feed made from corn, wheat, yeast and fish and meat and bone meal are given per day. In the spring, pheasants are additionally fed with sunflower oil, berries and calcium - the birds will grow faster and their meat will be more tender.

Commercial value

100 grams of pheasant meat contains up to 250 kcal, which is very nutritious, and its taste has been valued by people since ancient times. By eating pheasant meat, a person replenishes his body with many useful substances, which increases its resistance to various ailments, strengthening the immune system. Somewhere in the 19th century, these birds began to be bred artificially. They were used for hunting, for cooking, and also as decoration for the courtyards of rich nobility. As a rule, golden pheasants were used as decoration.

Pheasants were especially actively bred in the 20th century, when they were present in literally every private farmstead. Their owners received considerable profit from this, so a separate industry appeared - pheasant farming. These birds are bred in hunting farms, increasing their numbers closer to autumn, when the bird hunting season opens. As a result, a separate species of hunting pheasants appeared, which were bred as a result of crossing Chinese, Semirechensk and Caucasian species. You can get them on a private farm without any problems if you purchase chicks, which is not a problem in our time.

Eared

Eared pheasants are one of the most massive birds among their fellows. There are three subspecies of Eared Pheasants - white, blue and brown. They are found naturally in mountainous areas in East Asia. There is no difference in plumage between males and females.

They have an elongated body with short powerful legs. There are spurs on the paws. The main difference is the long white feathers near the ears. These feathers are “ears” and are raised slightly upward. The head is black and shiny. There are red circles near the eyes. They have a very long tail - it makes up half the entire length of the bird.

Blue eared

The bird can be found in the mountainous and forested areas of western and central China. It was brought from China to France in 1929.

Description. The bird is colored smoky blue. The “mask” is red and has white ear feathers. Because of them, the bird is also called the Blue Eared Pheasant - the feathers resemble sharp ears or mustaches. The paws are long and pink. Males have spurs. The tail is luxurious, blue or black. Males reach 100 cm in length, of which the tail makes up more than half

Productivity. Long-eared blue pheasants are quite weighty compared to their counterparts. The average weight of a male is 1.7-2.1 kg, a female is 1.5-1.75 kg. There are 6-12 eggs in a clutch. The eggs are large, gray or gray-brown in color.

Other features. They are easy to tame, sociable and friendly. Males can become aggressive during the breeding season. They prefer monogamy.

Maintenance and care. Frost resistant and very hardy. They love to play in the snow and do not suffer at all from the cold. In nature they feed on plant food; in captivity, blue pheasants are fed a mixture of feed and grain. Some breeders feed pheasants dog food. They need spacious enclosures with grass and shrubs. There must be logs for birds to sit on. The bird does not like humidity, so drainage must be provided.

White eared

This is a very rare species of pheasant. In nature, it can only be found in the mountains of Tibet. This rare bird is usually kept in zoos and for ornamental purposes.

Description. The color of the plumage is snow-white. The head is red, on the top there is a black “cap”. In the wings and tail there are, along with white, gray feathers, coal-black at the ends. The legs are bright red and decorated with spurs.

Productivity. The average weight of a bird is 1.35-1.5 kg. Egg laying per season - 30 pieces.

Other features. Females lay eggs, but rarely sit on them - they need to be placed under other hens.

Maintenance and care. Adapts well to captivity.

Brown long-eared

Description. They are distinguished by brown plumage on the body and wings. There is a black and blue border on the neck and tip of the tail. The back is creamy. The head is decorated with a black “cap”. The eyes are yellow, the beak is yellow-brown.

Productivity. Males weigh 2.7 kg, females - 2.5 kg.

Other features. When a bird is looking for food, it can turn over large stones with its beak to find plant roots. It is important to take this into account when creating enclosures - you need to plant them with non-poisonous plants. The bird is non-confrontational and easily gets used to humans.

Maintenance and care. Feeds on plant foods. It makes up 70% of the diet. It is recommended to include peanuts in the feed.

The largest breed of pheasants

Most species of pheasants are small in size. They gain weight up to one and a half kilograms. But among them there are birds that can compete with chicken in the weight category.

The eared pheasant is considered the most massive bird. It is represented by three subspecies. The main difference is the colors: blue, brown and white. Why is the pheasant long-eared? On the small head of the bird, protruding white feathers grow on both sides, which are directed upward and resemble ears. There are red circles around the eyes, and on top of the head there is a neatly placed cap of smooth black feathers.

The body structure of the bird is oblong. Spurs grow on short legs. Under natural conditions, this type of pheasant is found in the mountains of East Asia. They feed on plant foods and also collect worms and small insects.

Male eared pheasants grow a tail of more than half a meter. The total length of the bird is about a meter. Females are smaller in size than males, but do not differ much in plumage.

Breeding eared pheasants is difficult because females do not tend to hatch eggs on their own. At home, young animals are bred in an incubator or fed to a brood hen.

Himalayan

The Himalayan or Nepalese pheasant lives in the mountains of Southwestern China, Indochina, and the Himalayas. Another name for the Himalayan pheasant is black lofura. There are several subspecies, of which the purple-black, white-crested and white-backed varieties are most often kept in captivity. White pheasants appeared in Europe in the 18th century.

Description. The color of the plumage is black, with a purple-metallic tint. At the bottom of the back there is a wide white border along the edges of the plumage. The head is decorated with a long black crest. The paws are dark gray in color and have spurs. The beak is light green. The plumage of the female is olive-brown with a light brown border.

Productivity. The weight of a male is 1.3-2 kg, a female is about 1 kg. The number of eggs per season is from 15 pieces. Laying size is 6-8 light cream or reddish-yellow eggs.

Other features. Many females incubate and hatch chicks on their own. It is not recommended to live with other bird species, as this breed is aggressive, especially during the breeding season. It is characterized by timidity.

Maintenance and care. In captivity, they are fed a grain mixture of millet, wheat, corn and other seeds. Provide chopped vegetables and fruits. This bird requires a lot of shelters - they are made from logs, slate, stones, and bushes. The bird is hardy and can withstand extreme temperatures. Tropical subspecies need to build poultry houses for the winter.

Natural enemies of pheasants

Photo: Pheasant Author: Svetlana Medvedeva (@msvetlana012018)

Adult pheasants can be hunted either on the ground or in flight. Some of their behavioral responses to danger include retreating to cover or flying, and they may also fly away, hide, or run away depending on the circumstances. Females may display a broken wing in an attempt to lure a predator away from the nest, or will sit very still and quiet. When brood chicks are hunted, often more than one is taken at a time. In addition, exposure to extreme weather conditions is a cause of chick mortality.

Hunting of game by humans is a serious problem for pheasants. They are especially vulnerable during nesting time. Increased rates of pheasant predation are closely linked to habitat destruction. This occurs because habitat degradation makes prey more vulnerable to predators. It was previously thought that coyotes were the main predators of pheasants, but after observing their behavior over several decades, it was discovered that coyotes focus their foraging on rodents and rabbits.

The most common predators that attack adult pheasants or their nests are the common fox, striped skunk and raccoon. Additionally, the wider range and territorial nature of coyotes is leading to declines in the population of these mammals, a more destructive predator.

The most famous predators of pheasants are:

foxes (Vulpes vulpes);
domestic dogs (Canis lupusiliaris);
coyotes (Canis latrans);
badgers (Taxidea taxus);
mink (Neovison Vison);
weasel (Mustela);
striped skunks (M. mephitis);
raccoons (Procyon);
great eagle owls (B. virginianus);
red-tailed buzzards (B. jamaicensis);
red-shouldered buzzard (B. lineatus);
rough-legged buzzard (B. lagopus);
Cooper's hawks (A. cooperii);
goshawk (A. gentilis);
peregrine falcons (F. peregrinus);
Hen Harrier (C. cyaneus);
snapping turtle (C. serpentina).

Three quarters of nests and adult birds suffer from attacks by predators, with the exception of hunting.

Silver

A common breed. Her homeland is China. Due to its high egg production and high weight, the Silver Pheasant is profitable to breed for meat.

Description. The body is covered with light gray or white plumage with dark stripes. There is a green tint. There is a red “mask” on the face. The head is decorated with a blue-black crest. On the back there is a white hood. The lower plumage is black, on the back and wings there are feathers with a black border. The bird appears to be “silvered.” The upper tail feathers are snow-white. Paws are coral pink. The length of the male is 125 cm, of which the tail is 70 cm. The female is significantly smaller - 75 cm, the tail is 30 cm.

Productivity. The weight of a male is up to 5 kg, a female is about 2-2.5 kg. The egg laying size per season is 50 eggs. There are 7-15 eggs in a clutch.

Other features. Gains weight quickly. The Silver Pheasant has a strong immune system, so it rarely gets sick. Males are known for their pugnacity during breeding.

Maintenance and care. The breed is perfectly adapted to the conditions of Russia. It tolerates frosts down to -30°C well, as it has thick plumage. Doesn't like drafts. They readily eat chicken and goose food. The bird is unpretentious and easy to keep in nurseries.

Breeding Features

The mating period for pheasants occurs at the beginning of spring. Individuals must be independently divided into families: usually each contains three hens and one rooster. In rare cases, monogamous couples are found.

In females, puberty ends closer to 8 months, and in males only at 12 months. At this time they begin to show interest in each other. Thus, already 14-20 days after mating, females begin to lay clutches.

There are strong pairs of pheasants

Experienced poultry farmers do not recommend increasing the number of females in one family - this only leads to a deterioration in egg production and the appearance of a large number of unfertilized eggs in the clutch.

From the moment of the first laying, the number of eggs gradually increases. This continues until early summer, and then the female stops laying eggs.

Important point! You can try to prolong the egg production of females. To do this, additional light sources are installed in the enclosure. It is believed that it is bright, continuous lighting that has the best effect on this process.

A pheasant egg weighs on average about 30 grams. Usually they are taken in the morning while the birds are feeding, otherwise the birds may peck at the eggs.

It is necessary to study all possible locations of masonry

Each female is capable of producing up to hundreds of eggs in 12 months. However, birds have a poorly developed maternal instinct, and they also forget the location of clutches, so incubators are often used to breed chicks. Some poultry farmers take a different approach - they lay eggs on brood turkeys.

Egg incubation apparatus

Prices for egg incubators

Egg incubators

There are certain rules for incubating eggs obtained from pheasants:

The incubation period of pheasant eggs lasts on average up to 24-25 days;
Before laying, you need to keep the eggs in the room for about 6 hours;
heated eggs can be carefully placed in the apparatus at a temperature no lower than 37.7 degrees;
in a week you will need to illuminate the eggs with an ovoscope;
after 14 days, you should open the incubator door for 15 minutes and let in cool air - such actions activate metabolic processes;
during all stages of incubation it is important to control the level of air humidity, it should be within 63%;
on the 22nd day of incubation, it is necessary to begin lowering the temperature and gradually increase the humidity level;
on the last day before the chicks hatch, the temperature must be reduced to 37.5 degrees and the humidity increased to 82%.

It is better to warm the chicks additionally with an infrared lamp

Some poultry farmers use a combined method of breeding. Thus, the turkey incubates the eggs for half a month, and then they are sent to the incubator.

How to make an ovoscope: step-by-step instructions

An ovoscope is an indispensable device for a poultry farmer, thanks to which it is possible to determine the position of the embryo in the egg. We will consider a method for making this device with our own hands.

Step one: you need to take any tin can and cut off the top part from it.

The edges of the can should be trimmed evenly

Step two : now in the bottom of the jar you will need to mark the holes in the center and along the edges, and then drill them.

It is better to use a drill or screwdriver for these purposes.

Step three: then you need to use pliers to remove excess fragments to get an ovoscope ring.

Removing unnecessary fragments

Step four: you need to solder a wire to the cartridge.

Connect the wire to the socket

Step five: place a lamp inside the ovoscope and seal the hole with a plastic stand the size of the jar.

The result is a convenient homemade device

Prices for an ovoscope for diagnosing eggs

Ovoscope

Taiwanese

A very rare bird. The second name is Svaino pheasant. Listed in the Red Book. Named after the ornithologist Swine, who discovered it in the highlands of Taiwan in 1862. This species is not found anywhere else.

Description. A small bird with purple-blue feathers on its chest and neck. There is a black edging on the lower back. The tail feathers are white. From the neck to the lower back there is a white spot. There are orange spots at the base of the wings. The face is without feathers, coral red in color. Paws are bright pink. Males have spurs. The length of males is 80 cm, the tail is 48 cm. The length of females is 50 cm, the tail is 25 cm.

Productivity. Average weight – 0.9-1.3 kg. There are 6-15 eggs in a clutch. They lay up to 20 eggs per season.

Other features. The bird is timid and cautious. In nature, she hides in bushes all day and spends the night in trees. The active period is dusk and dawn. They live for about 15 years.

Maintenance and care. It feeds like all galliformes - seeds, fruits, insects, greens.

Bird species

As mentioned earlier, there are 32 different subspecies of this bird. Let's review the most common breeds. An ordinary representative of pheasants is very similar in appearance to a chicken. A distinctive feature is the tail. The average weight of an individual is 1.1 kg. The color sometimes has bright splashes of orange. In the wild they live near bodies of water with dense vegetation.

Diamond pheasant

Diamond rock is considered one of the most magnificent varieties. On the back and neck of the cockerels there are green feathers and a red comb. There are white feathers on the tummy. The average weight of an adult is 1.2 kg. Males are often larger than females. After six months from birth, pheasants begin to lay eggs. One female can lay about thirty eggs. The breed is perfectly tamed and feels great even in a fenced enclosure.

Diamond pheasant

Argus pheasant

The Argus breed is somewhat similar in appearance to the peacock. This is often what they call him – the big peacock pheasant. Lives in Malaysia. The body of this representative is quite large. The species can be found very rarely in natural habitats, and almost no one breeds them. The breed received its name in honor of the many-eyed god.

Pheasant Argus

Mirror pheasant

The mirror pheasant is another species that is very similar in appearance to the peacock. The plumage color is pearl gray. In our area this species is very rare. For the most part, breeding is carried out on small private farms in India.

The golden look is characterized by a bright yellow crest, as if trimmed on the sides with black stitching. The belly has distinct purple feathers. During oviposition, a mature female can lay up to 45 eggs, young animals 20. If you remove the testicles immediately, productivity increases. Raising them in a household environment is not particularly difficult, however, pets often get sick.

Mirror pheasant

king pheasant

The most popular type is royal. Distribution area: Northern mountains of China. The feathers are yellow-brown, with a black rim around the neck. Females are characterized by a reddish-brown tone of feathers with black splashes. The body length of an adult male reaches 2 m, of which 1.5 m is the tail. Just like tragopans, they can be found in our area only in zoos. Breeding them at home is quite difficult.

king pheasant

Hunting pheasant

The hunting representative of the genus is a selected hybrid. Several subspecies of the common pheasant were involved in its selection. Approximate weight 2 kg with a body length of 85 cm. Cockerels have more striking external characteristics than females. More recently, a species with completely black feathers was selected.

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Males do not live with a flock of chickens, but with only three or four. Sometimes fights can arise with other males over the females they like.

Hunting pheasant

Pheasants piled

Pile pheasants have a refined, fit appearance and are compact in size. The body length of males reaches 80 cm, females 50 cm. Adult cockerels have shiny purple feathers with blue highlights on the neck and chest. The long feathers on the tail are white. The wings are bordered by green stripes that shine in the sun.

A snow-white spot runs from the neck to the chest. Their face is featherless, coral-red in color, and their paws are bright pink with impressive spurs. The female's feathers are more subdued in color, but also beautiful. The predominant color of the feathers is brown with bright orange-yellow spots. This breed gets along well with people and has excellent production qualities. The quality indicators of the meat of these representatives are very highly valued. Within three months, a mature chicken can lay up to 60 eggs.

Pheasants piled

Golden pheasant

The golden pheasant is famous for its luxurious appearance due to the presence of beautiful yellow plumage. The first mentions of this bird were found in China (in its homeland it is called the golden chicken) - it was there that pheasants were first presented in the zoo and gained enormous success. It was only towards the end of the 19th century that pheasants were introduced to Europe.

Golden pheasant

Argus

The homeland of the Greater Argus is the Malay Islands. You can find this rare bird in special nurseries and from amateur poultry farmers who sell breeding birds.

Description. The color of the plumage resembles that of a peacock. The bird is large, but not as bright as most pheasants. It has grey-green mottled plumage, a red neck and a blue head. But during mating, the male spreads his tail, on which there are oval golden “eyes”. For this, the bird received its name - Argus, given to it in honor of the deity with many eyes. Paws are red. No spurs. It can reach 2 m in length, of which the tail is 1.5 m.

Productivity. Average weight – 1.4-1.6 kg. There are 6-10 eggs in a clutch. They lay up to 20 eggs per season.

Other features. Females lay enough eggs, but are not always ready to hatch them. Argus meat has a unique taste.

Maintenance and care. They adapt well to life in an enclosure. They are friendly and get used to their owner. The young are fed minced meat, carrots, worms, etc.

Useful tips

In summer, the bird should be fed only with cool water, and in winter, on the contrary, with warm water. It is important that feeding and care is carried out by one person so as not to stress the birds. In the cold season, an enclosure is suitable for pheasants, the main thing is that it has good bedding and a reliable canopy.

Pheasants can be kept in an enclosure all year round

There should not be several males in one enclosure during the breeding period, otherwise they will simply peck at each other. When the chicks hatch, the temperature in the house should be 28°C for the first few days. Also, the house with chicks should be populated with no more than 30 individuals per square meter.

Horned

Horned pheasants, or Tragopans, are divided into five subspecies, and they all have common characteristics - females and males are not similar.

Description. Males are quite large. They have a bright color and cone-shaped processes near the eyes. The color is dominated by red and brown shades. The throat is covered in growths called “earrings.” Females are dull, brown, without “horns” and “earrings”. The legs are short, and males have spurs.

Productivity. Males weigh 1.6-2.1 kg, females - 1.3-1.5 kg. The female lays 3-6 eggs for incubation.

Other features. Males are aggressive and fight with each other.

Maintenance and care. Adapts well to captivity. In his diet he prefers berries, fruits, greens and wheat.

Types of tragopans:

Black-headed or Western Tragopan. The male has a black “cap” on his head and a crest with a red end. The cheeks are featherless and bright red. The male weighs 1.8-2 kg, the female – 1.4 kg.
Brown-bellied. It is also called Cabot's tragopan. There is also a black “cap”, and the crest is orange. The weight of a male is 1.2-1.4 kg, of a female – up to 0.9 kg.
Greybellied. The second name is Blyth's tragopan. The largest representative of Tragopans. The weight of a male is 2.1 kg, of a female – up to 1.5 kg. The head of males is decorated with an orange crest with a black stripe.
Ocellated. The second name is Temminck's tragopan. One of the most beautiful types of pheasants. The head of males is decorated with a black and orange crest and blue “horns”. On the throat there are blue-turquoise outgrowths similar to lapels. The face without feathers is blue. The weight of a male is 1.2-1.4 kg, of a female – up to 1.0 kg.
Tragopanus the satyr. The second name is Indian. The weight of a male is 1.5-2 kg, of a female – up to 1.2 kg. On the head there is a black crest with dark red spots.

Black-headed Tragopan

Brown-bellied tragopan (Tragopan caboti)

Grey-bellied Tragopan (Tragopan blythii)

Ocellated Tragopan

Exterior of a bird

Cockerels always have a brighter color than hens. The feathers on the head and neck have a yellow-green tint. The golden plumage with black opalines on the dorsal region smoothly flows into copper-red feathers above the tail with purple highlights. A distinctive feature is a bare ring around the eyes, red in color. The tail is elongated, wedge-shaped, and the flight feathers are rounded. The male has spurs on his paws.

The male has spurs on his paws

Chickens are characterized by an inconspicuous plumage color. Their color is most often light brown or sand with black spots and dashes. On the head and neck there are dark lines lying close to each other, which is why the head appears darker with purple reflections.

Female and male pheasant

Peacock

This is not a specific species, but a whole group of subspecies, united by a common feature - they all look like a peacock with their feather pattern and bushy tail. Peacock pheasants are also called mirror or mountain pheasants. This type of pheasant is poorly distributed in our country; it is mainly grown by Indian farmers. The purpose of cultivation is decorative.

Description. There is a “peacock” pattern on the back, wings and tail. The tail has 16 feathers responsible for flight control. The plumage is silver, there are feathers with a pearl tint.

Productivity. Males weigh 1.6-2.0 kg, females - 1.3-1.4 kg. The female lays up to 45 eggs per season, the young - up to 20 eggs. Eggs are tasty and healthy. In oviposition there are up to 15 eggs.

Other features. They are friendly and quickly get used to people.

Maintenance and care. They are prone to diseases, so it is recommended to add antibiotics to the food. Withstands frosts down to minus 35 degrees. Adapts well in captivity.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Pheasant

This species was first scientifically described by Linnaeus in Systema naturae under its current scientific name. This bird was widely discussed even before Linnaeus established its nomenclature. The common pheasant was simply called “pheasant” in most ornithology textbooks of that time. Pheasants are not native birds to Central Europe. They were brought there during the Roman Empire from Asia, as hunting game many centuries ago. Even today, most pheasants are artificially incubated in some areas and then released for hunting.

Video: Pheasant

Some wild subspecies have long been among the favorite ornamental birds, and therefore have long been bred in captivity, although they could not yet be called domesticated. The homeland of birds is Asia, the Caucasus. They got their name from the ancient Greeks, who discovered birds near the Phasis River (current name Rioni), near the Black Sea and the Georgian settlement of Poti. The common pheasant is the national Georgian bird. The national dish chakhokhbili was made from its fillet. These Caucasian birds constituted the bulk of the introduced stock in Europe until the modern era.

The bird is not found in Africa, except in Mediterranean coastal areas, in the time of Linnaeus, where they may have been introduced during Roman times. These birds had more features in common with the Transcaucasian population than with others. The scientific name is Latin for "pheasant from Colchis", which is located west of modern Georgia. The Ancient Greek term corresponding to the English "pheasant" is Phasianos ornis (Φασιανὸς ὂρνις), "bird of the river Phasis". Linnaeus included many other species in the genus Phasianius, such as the domestic chicken and its wild ancestor. Today, this genus includes only the common and green pheasant. Since the latter was not known to Linnaeus in 1758.

Wedge-tailed

The homeland of this small bird is China. The second name is Koklas. Lives in mountain forests and bushes. Habitat: northern China, Nepal and Afghanistan. A very small and evasive bird - difficult to catch.

Description. The male's head is decorated with a crest divided in two. The belly and chest are brown, the wings are white or gray, decorated with a striped pattern. The length of the male is 58-63 cm, of which the tail is 23-24 cm. The female is the same size. Unlike other pheasants, there are no bare spots on the face. The beak is black, the paws have spurs.

Productivity. Males weigh about 1.1 kg. The female lays up to 25 eggs per season.

Other features. Females can incubate eggs and care for chicks.

Maintenance and care. In nature, they feed mainly on plant foods. You can’t overfeed them with compound feed - they can die from obesity. The diet should be dominated by greens - lettuce, nettle, yarrow, wheat sprouts, etc. Grains or mixed feed for chickens are added to the feed. They prefer dry and cool climates. They do not acclimatize well in Europe - they are sensitive to dampness. They are kept in enclosures in pairs.

Where does the pheasant live?

Photo: Pheasant in nature

The pheasant is a non-migratory species living in Eurasia. The natural distribution zone of the pheasant passes through the south of the Central and Eastern Palearctic, as well as parts of the eastern region. The range extends from the Black Sea in a wide belt south of the forest and steppe zone east to western Chinese Qinghai and the southern edge of the Gobi region, including Korea, Japan and the former Burma. It is present in Europe, North America, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii. In North America, pheasant populations range across mid-latitude agricultural lands from southern Canada to Utah, California, and south into Virginia.

Interesting fact: The settlement areas are very fragmented, part of the population consists of separate subspecies isolated from each other. On the other hand, east of extreme southeastern Siberia and northeastern China, a large closed area extends south through most of China, as well as Korea and Taiwan north of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, where transitions between subspecies are less noticeable .

Additionally, the species has been naturalized in many parts of the world with varying degrees of success. Today it lives throughout most of Europe. These birds are rare only in Greece, the Italian Alps and parts of southern France. In the Iberian Peninsula and northern Scandinavia it is almost completely absent. In places there are in Chile.

Pheasants occupy meadows and agricultural land. These birds are generalists and occupy a wide range of habitat types, excluding areas with dense tropical forests, alpine forests or very dry areas. This flexibility allows them to explore new habitats. Open water is not essential for pheasants, but most populations are found where water is present. In drier areas, birds obtain water from dew, insects and succulent vegetation.

Now you know where the bird of the pheasant family lives. Let's see what she eats.

Romanian

This breed is a subspecies of the common pheasant. Obtained by crossing wild Japanese pheasant and European common pheasant. This bird is often called the Green or Emerald Pheasant, since its wings have a characteristic green tint. There are individuals whose feathers are yellow or blue. This is a large bird that is bred for meat.

Description. The plumage is gray-brown. Part of the males' head is covered with green-blue plumage. Throughout the body there is an emerald tint of plumage. There is a crest on the head. Females are modestly colored - they have brown plumage, without a green tint.

Productivity. Weight – up to 2.5 kg. In poultry farms, these birds are raised for only 1.5 months, sent for slaughter when they reach a weight of 1 kg. The female lays from 20 to 60 eggs per season.

Other features. The egg production of a female is determined by her age. Romanian pheasant meat is valued for its dietary properties and excellent taste.

Maintenance and care. Maintenance and feeding are the same as for the common pheasant.

Ordinary

A review of pheasant breeds should begin with the most common and popular species, whose homeland is the Caucasus. Now subspecies of this bird are grown everywhere. The main purpose of keeping common pheasant is its tasty meat. This bird has rich and vibrant external characteristics. Particularly noteworthy is its long tail with shiny silver plumage. The bird's neck is decorated with green feathers with red lining around the eyes.

In the wild, this breed of pheasant is found in flat areas and near reservoirs where there are thickets of reeds and cattails.

Yellow

This variety of golden pheasant is bred artificially.

Description. The plumage is bright yellow. The head is decorated with a long lemon-colored crest. There is a yellow-orange hood. Females are more modestly colored; they are also yellow, but of a lighter shade. The length of the male is 1 m.

Productivity. The weight of a male is 0.9 kg, a female is 0.6 kg. There are 5-12 eggs in a clutch.

Other features. Females lay eggs in holes that they dig in the ground. They live about 10 years.

Maintenance and care. They are fed a mixture of wheat, millet, ground corn and other seeds. Give finely chopped vegetables and fruits. During the non-breeding period, they are kept in a common enclosure. During the mating season, birds are separated into families to avoid violent fights. There is 1 male and 6-10 females in the family. Food can be given once every 2-3 days, so as not to unnecessarily disturb timid birds. The enclosure should have a “winter garden” - bushes and dry trees.

Features of keeping pheasants

During the mating season and outside it, there are nuances of keeping birds. In the latter case, pheasants live in large groups in enclosures. This makes them easier to care for. With the beginning of the mating season, the aggressiveness of males increases, and they often start fights among themselves, so they need to be quickly dispersed.

There should be 6–10 females per pheasant. Such a family is housed in enclosures, where there is a dark room, a canopy and a spacious place for walking. The walking area in the lower part should have solid walls up to a height of half a meter.

This is necessary so that males, being in neighboring enclosures, do not start fights. The upper part can be mesh, with a mesh size of 2.5×2.5 cm. It is advisable to cover the ceiling with a nylon mesh with 5x5 cm cells so that the birds are not injured during takeoff.

Density of heads per square meter:

in cells - 1–3;
floor maintenance - 1–5.

The walking area is 10 m² per individual.

Families are kept separately from February to August. Afterwards they are transplanted into a common aviary, where hundreds of birds can live. Such enclosures should have tall bushes and a canopy, under which feeders and drinking bowls are located.

Pheasants are given food for 2–3 days. During the mating period, the feeding front should be 6 cm/individual, the rest of the time - 3 cm/individual. The drinking front is 2 and 0.5 cm/individual, respectively. Drinkers can be of any shape. They should be located in such a way that access to them is from outside the enclosure, so that personnel do not go inside when filling them.

Lofurs

Lofura pheasants are a whole genus in the pheasant family. All birds of this genus have a common feature - male lofurs have a reddish back. The homeland of these birds is southern and central Asia. Many species live in isolation - on islands. Types of lofurs - Siamese, Bulwer, Sumatran, black and others.

Description. The color of the lower back varies from orange-red shades to dark copper, such as Edwards' lofura. All male lofurs have spurs. On the face there are unusually large cavernous bodies, colored red or blue. Thus, in the Bulwer's lofur, the cavernous bodies are so enlarged that during mating they reach the ground.

Females of all lofurs have more modest plumage - brownish shades. The color of males is dominated by dark blue and black colors; many lofurs have tufts on their heads. The tail is usually white or yellow.

Productivity. Weight – 1.1-1.6 kg. There are 4-6 eggs in a clutch. The Sumatran lafur has 2 eggs in a clutch.

Other features. Lofurs are usually polygamous. Only the Sumatran lofura is a monogamous species. Females are capable of incubating chicks.

Maintenance and care. All except the Sumatran lofur nest on the ground. The eggs are hatched by the parents and the offspring themselves are raised.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Pheasant bird

Pheasants are social birds. In the fall, they flock together, often in large groups, to an area with shelter and food. Usually the main winter range is smaller than during the nesting period. Flocks formed in winter can be mixed or single-sex and can contain up to 50 individuals.

These birds move little but may exhibit some migratory tendencies depending on the availability of food and cover. Short-distance migration is observed in northern populations, where cold weather forces the birds to find milder conditions. The dispersal of the group in early spring is gradual rather than abrupt, with males leaving first.

Fun Fact: The bird uses dust for bathing by incorporating particles of sand and dirt into its plumage by raking with its beak, scraping the ground with its paws, or shaking its wings. This behavior helps remove dead epidermal cells, excess oil, old feathers and the sheaths of new feathers.

Common pheasants spend most of their time on the ground and rest on both the ground and trees. They are fast runners and have a "strutting gait." While feeding, they hold their tail horizontally, and while running, they hold it at an angle of 45 degrees. Pheasants are excellent pilots. When taking off, they can move almost vertically. Males often make a croaking call during takeoff. They run when threatened.

Pedigree characteristics of pheasants

All breeds of pheasants intended for home breeding are divided into 2 groups:

Common or Caucasian pheasants.
Green or Japanese pheasants.

There are many more varieties in the first category - they are usually bred for valuable meat. There are only 5 species in the second category; they are bred for decorative purposes - they are frequent inhabitants of home zoos.

Features of all pheasant breeds:

They are smaller than chickens. In size, pheasants are comparable to small breeds of egg-laying chickens.
Pheasant meat is considered dietary; it is valued for its unique taste and low fat content. This is a real delicacy.
Pheasant eggs are low in cholesterol. Pheasant eggs are usually used for breeding - they are too expensive to eat.
If there are insects in the beds, pheasants can clear them out of the garden in a couple of days. Moreover, this bird even eats insects that other birds do not like - for example, Colorado potato beetles.
Pheasant feathers are used to make jewelry.

The Greeks were the first to tame and domesticate pheasants. Pheasants got their name in honor of the Phasis River - it was near it that there was a settlement in which they began to keep and breed this bird.

Most pheasants reproduce successfully in captivity and usually lead a polygamous lifestyle. But some people prefer monogamy. When settling birds, one must take into account their character and behavior. If there are two aggressive females and one male in the same enclosure, then the stronger female can kill the weaker competitor.

Anyone who decides to breed pheasants has a wide choice - nature and breeders have taken care of the diversity of species. Most existing breeds are bred for meat and feathers, while others are bred for decorative purposes. But before breeding pheasants for meat, you should evaluate the costs - given the low weight of the carcasses, it is quite difficult to make a profit from this enterprise.

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Diet at home

Firstly, the chicks are raised for subsequent transfer to special hunting nurseries. In other words, the birds are subsequently released into the wild, but only in those places where they are hunted.

Pheasants are often raised for transfer to hunting nurseries

Pheasant meat is considered dietary

For calculations, it should be said that on average, pheasants lay 1 egg every 2 days, while it takes 5 months to raise an adult.

In summer, pheasants can obtain most of their food on their own. The basis of their diet is greens; they get proteins by eating worms and bugs. With the onset of cold weather, birds must be switched to a special diet. During this period, the daily norm of feed per head is 75 g. What should be included in the diet:

45% crushed corn kernels;
20% crushed wheat grains;
10% fish dust;
3% meat and bone meal and yeast.

In summer, pheasants obtain most of their food on their own.

After wintering, before releasing the birds outside, calcium and about 50% of the feed for any poultry should be added to the diet. If you feed birds chicken feed throughout the cold period, you can achieve maximum weight gain.

Pheasant chicks are fed on farms with finely chopped boiled eggs and herbs. Already at two months of age, they can be introduced to an adult diet. Pheasants love to eat Colorado potato beetles, so by raising this type of domesticated bird, you can clear your garden of pests and weeds.

Pheasant chicks

For a pheasant farm to flourish, it is necessary to protect the birds from stressful situations. They have excellent memory, so they are able to recognize their owner by face, habits, and voice. When a stranger comes, they begin to behave restlessly.

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These birds face many dangers, so it is not surprising that they are so restive. At the slightest danger they try to take off. To prevent them from escaping, the flight feathers are trimmed and placed in enclosures. Pheasants very quickly get used to living in such areas and feel relatively safe.

Pheasants are very aggressive birds.

This type of bird is characterized by aggression towards its relatives, so it is necessary to ensure that they do not start fights. It is important to remember that any stressful situation will first of all affect the immunity and productivity of pets. There is no need to make sudden movements or make loud sounds when approaching the birds.

Pheasants often get sick. Their diseases are divided into:

infectious;
invasive;
non-contagious.

Infectious diseases of pheasants

Peculiarities of breeding pheasants, for the most part, depend on the variety. Also, caring for and breeding them differs in many ways from breeding other birds. For optimal maintenance, an area is fenced off at the rate of 2 m2 per head. Pheasants can rise quite high into the air, so the fence is covered with soft mesh on top.

Based on whether the breeds are monogamous or polygamous, the birds should be divided into families and placed in enclosures. During the breeding period, you should not let all the males go for a walk in one place. They are very aggressive and usually fight to the death.

during the breeding period, you should not let all the males out in one place for walking

The egg-laying period begins in April and lasts until August, and the mating season begins in February-March. Based on the characteristics of the breed, females lay eggs in the grass, in bushes or on tree branches. For the comfort of the birds, it is necessary to create all conditions close to natural.

Raising chicks can occur in two ways:

under the bird;
under heaters.

In rare cases, both methods are used at once: for the first 20 days, the eggs lie under the female, and then are transferred to the incubator.

Pheasant hatching egg

Pheasant cage and enclosure

The cage is made 40x40. The floor must be made of wood. The female should always have food and drink freely available. Often, the female is walked for half an hour every couple of days.

In a confined space, incubation should not last more than 14 days. Then the female is transferred to the open sky. The box with the brood hen should be left in the tall grass. When the pheasant chicks hatch, they will walk during the day and eat pasture, and in the cool time of the day they will return to their mother.

Pheasant hatching in an incubator

The bedding must be made of large materials that the chicks cannot swallow. For example, straw perfectly absorbs moisture and retains heat. It is best to place a layer of lime under the bottom of the straw. There should be more straw piles in corner spaces. A suitable temperature regime is set a day before the chicks appear.

Aviary for pheasants

In the summer, grown chicks are transferred outside. If the brood appeared in the cold season, then they can be released no earlier than a month from the moment of birth, or even after 45 days.

Pheasant nutrition and feeding

Pheasants are easy to keep because they are omnivorous birds. Preference in feeding them is given to grain mixtures based on cereal crops such as barley, corn, wheat, and sunflower. In the summer, birds are fed plant foods, fresh herbs and raw vegetables (cabbage, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes).

In addition, fish oil, chalk, and fish meal are added to bird feed as vitamin supplements.

Pheasants also readily eat human kitchen scraps.

Drinking water for pheasants is cooled.

How to breed pheasants in autonomous farms?

Raising chicks can occur in two ways:

under the bird;
under heaters.

In rare cases, both methods are used at once: for the first 20 days, the eggs lie under the female, and then are transferred to the incubator.

Pheasant hatching egg

In the warm season, the temperature in the aviary or cage should be maintained between 5 and 30 degrees Celsius, while in the cold season, a temperature drop below -20 degrees Celsius will be fraught with health problems for the birds.

To raise pheasants under a hen, you need to build a special wooden box - a cage, the outer wall of which is movable. If necessary, it is replaced with a lattice cover so that the chicks can leave, while the female always remains in place. An enclosure is built in front of the front wall of the cage, the size of which can be adjusted to your taste. The frame should be covered with metal mesh at intervals of maximum 10x10. This is necessary so that the kids cannot jump out, and sparrows cannot get inside. At night and in bad weather, the cage should be closed.

Pheasant cage and enclosure

The cage is made 40x40. The floor must be made of wood. The female should always have food and drink freely available. Often, the female is walked for half an hour every couple of days.

In a confined space, incubation should not last more than 14 days. Then the female is transferred to the open sky. The box with the brood hen should be left in the tall grass. When the pheasant chicks hatch, they will walk during the day and eat pasture, and in the cool time of the day they will return to their mother.

Incubation under heaters is carried out both indoors and outdoors. If cultivation is carried out indoors, the floor should be cement, wood or clay.

Pheasant hatching in an incubator

In the room where the pheasants are located, you should not make narrow passages, because the chicks often strangle each other on the way out. The ideal option for exit is a round hole at floor level in the corner of the room. To prevent the chicks from getting sick, their habitat must be dry, warm and equipped with special containers for food and drink. The bedding must be made of large materials that the chicks cannot swallow. For example, straw perfectly absorbs moisture and retains heat. It is best to place a layer of lime under the bottom of the straw. There should be more straw piles in corner spaces. A suitable temperature regime is set a day before the chicks appear.

Aviary for pheasants

In the summer, grown chicks are transferred outside. If the brood appeared in the cold season, then they can be released no earlier than a month from the moment of birth, or even after 45 days.

Lifestyle and habitat

The pheasant has spread widely as a result of the active introduction of birds and successful adaptation. The settlement covers territories from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan. In the Caucasus, Turkey, China, Vietnam, Primorsky Krai, Europe, and North America, bird acclimatization and domestication have become commonplace.

The bird settles in areas heavily overgrown with vegetation - forests, undergrowth, grass meadows, and the edges of sown fields. Thorn bushes are especially attractive - birds feel protected among them. Tugai thickets and reed banks are favorite habitats for colorful birds.

In case of danger, they do not fly to the tops of trees, like other birds, but rather run into impassable thickets. A large animal will not climb into thorny bushes. A prerequisite for settlement is the proximity of a body of water, so birds can often be found near lakes, swampy areas, and in river valleys. Resistant to frost, pheasants easily tolerate winters if the snow cover does not exceed 18-20 cm. In mountainous areas, bird settlement is observed at an altitude of up to 2500 m above sea level.

Japanese pheasant female

The owner of bright plumage has to constantly hide in the thicket of thickets so as not to fall prey to predators. Some species hide in trees and rest among the foliage. They climb higher when they don’t find food on the ground in cold weather. On the branches they feed on preserved fruits.

Pheasants are cautious when they come to the ground. They do it quickly, in a rush, quickly change the angle of movement, hide in the thickets

The running speed of pheasants, in comparison with other chicken-like representatives, is record-breaking. To accelerate, the bird instinctively extends its head and raises its tail.

The pheasant has many natural enemies. Among mammals, birds are hunted by foxes, lynxes, pumas, and wild dogs. Feathered predators, such as eagle owls and hawks, are also natural enemies of pheasants. In the first year of life, up to 80% of individuals become food for other forest inhabitants.

Particular danger comes from humans. The pheasant has long been an object of commercial and sport hunting. Specially trained dogs help by driving the game onto tree branches, and upon takeoff, hunters shoot the birds. Population numbers are significantly affected by climate. The natural decline of birds is inevitable in very snowy and frosty winters.

Pheasant populations are actively recovering. A significant role is played by domestic breeding of birds, keeping them in nurseries and in protected areas. In general, the population size does not cause concern.

Fireback Pheasant

Pheasants are gregarious birds that stay in large same-sex groups outside the breeding season. The active time for searching for food is morning and evening. Birds are quiet, their voice can only be heard in flight. This is a sharp, abrupt sound, heard from afar. Birds emit special signals during mating.

The common pheasant, migratory or not, is characterized by its region of habitat. A sedentary lifestyle is characteristic of most inhabitants of regions with an abundance of food. Migratory time over short distances begins after the chicks hatch. Then, in search of food, birds can be found in places unusual for them.

Nutrition

The bird of the pheasant family is omnivorous. The diet is dominated by plant foods, but it also includes an animal component: worms, spiders, rodents, snails, and mollusks. Newborn pheasant chicks up to one month of age receive only animal food from their parents.

More than a hundred plants are attractive to pheasants. The food becomes seeds, berries, young shoots, and fruits. Birds obtain food by tearing the ground with their claws. They jump and fly low to collect fruits from tall bushes and trees. In households, pheasants are unpretentious in nutrition.

The best foods are considered to be food waste (without signs of spoilage) and greens (plantain, dandelion). Birds feast on grain mixtures, vegetables, fruits, and berries. Beautiful plumage must be maintained with mineral supplements (lime, chalk, crushed shells). You can activate the work of the digestive organs by adding clean river sand and small pebbles.

Bird Behavior

Pheasants fly, but it is very tiring for them. After a short flight, the bird needs a lot of time to rest. During the courtship period, birds fluff their tails and make sounds of different timbres. Nests with future offspring are located on the ground, in secluded places. During incubation of eggs, the male is always nearby.

Pheasant nest

The incubation period is 3-4 weeks. At this time, the male begins to molt, and the female loses half of her weight. Pheasant chicks can peck small bugs already in the first day after birth. Under natural conditions, food for a pheasant is small insects, fruits, berries, greens and all kinds of seeds. Birds obtain food using their paws. In order for their digestive system to work in the correct mode, their diet must contain pebbles and sand, therefore, when raising pheasants at home, it is necessary to take this feature into account and pour pebbles and sand into a separate box.

Pheasants are distinguished by their calmness in enclosure conditions and can go into a person’s arms.