Color In Nature: Pheasants

There are approximately 49 species of pheasants. Their habitats range from mountainous regions in the Himalayas to the grasslands of North America and bamboo forests of China.

The color palettes of pheasants range as drastically as their habitats. Many species possess colors you might only expect to see on birds in tropical regions with feathers of bright yellows and oranges that are complimented with deep rich maroons and blues. While other species possess simple soft transitions of beige and gray. Whatever the species, pheasants are a wonderful source of color inspiration found in nature.

Elliot's Pheasant

Photo by jowo

• Other Names: Bar-backed Pheasant, Chinese Barred-backed Pheasant, White-necked Long-tailed Pheasant
• Range: Southeastern China
• Habitat: Thick mixed forests to about 6,200 feet.

Himalayan Monal Pheasant

Photo by peterjbaer

• Other Names: Impeyan Pheasant, Impeyan Monal
• Range: The Himalayas, from eastern Afghanistan to western China
• Habitat: Mountainous regions; in summer, they are found in rocky, grass covered meadows and winters in coniferous and mixed forests.

Silver Pheasant

Photo by benimoto

• Other Names: N/A
• Range: South-western China, eastern Burma, southern Vietnam, southwestern Cambodia, southeastern Thailand, northern Laos and the island of Hainan.
• Habitat: Diverse, both grasslands and bamboo, evergreen and decidous forests.

Ring-necked Pheasant

Photo by aehack

• Other Names: Pheasant, Ring-necked Pheasant, Game Pheasant, True Pheasant
• Range: Broad range over much of temperate Asia; introduced nearly worldwide including North America, Europe, Chile, Hawaii, Tasmania and New Zealand.
• Habitat: A wide variety of habitats throughout its natural and introduced range.

Palawan Peacock Pheasant

Photo by neilt

• Other Names: Pheasant, Ring-necked Pheasant, Game Pheasant, True Pheasant
• Range: The island of Palawan in the Philippines.
• Habitat: Forested areas

Blyth's Tragopan

Photo by andrewn

• Other Names: Grey-bellied Tragopan
• Range: Northeastern India, northwestern Myanmar and southern Tibet.
• Habitat: Dense mountain forests to 9,000 feet.

Reeve's Pheasant

Photo by joaomaximo

• Other Names: Long-tailed Pheasant
• Range: Central China, range has been greatly reduced. Unsuccessful attempts to introduce into North America, Hawaii, England and France.
• Habitat: Forested mountains.

Red Golden Pheasant

Photo by mcdemoura

The Golden has been kept in captivity since as early as 1740 and perhaps was the first type of pheasant brought to North America. There is evidence that George Washington may have kept them at Mt. Vernon! For being so well known and familiar in captivity, very little is known of their habits in the wild, in the mountains of central China.

Yellow Golden Pheasant

Photo by ucumari

This species, along with the Lady Amherst Pheasant (C. amherstiae), make up the group of pheasants called the Ruffed Pheasants, genus Chrysolophus. They are named for their cape or ruff which they spread around their face and neck during courtship. Since these two species are so closely related, many breeders have crossed them, making "pure" Goldens and Amhersts hard to find in captivity.

Female White-crested Kalij Pheasant

Photo by brewbooks

• Other Names: N/A
• Range: western Himalayas to extreme western Nepal
• Habitat: Varied; from mountainous forests to lowland cultivated lands and forests, depending on race/

Information from gbwf.org/pheasants.