Species Guide: Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Family: Phasianidae
Appearance
Male pheasants exhibit striking bronze plumage, complemented by a red face and wattle, a green neck adorned with a white ring, and an elongated tail.
In contrast, female pheasants present a sandy brown coloration featuring intricate black patterns. It is important to note that pheasants are generally larger than partridges and possess longer tails. Males have sharp spurs, which they utilize in confrontations with rivals.
Diet
The majority of Pheasants found in the UK are reared for shooting, originating from imported eggs and chicks, with millions released into the wild each year. There, they consume a diverse diet of invertebrates, seeds, berries, and leaves.
It is claimed that the sheer number of pheasants released is damaging to the natural environment, due to the number of invertebrates and plant material that they consume. Logically, this seems a likely scenario; however, there is a general lack of scientific research to prove or disprove the assertion.
Habitat
They can be found in their highest densities in pastoral and arable land as well as deciduous forests and reedbeds. However, they can be found in a range of environments, wherever there is sufficient cover for them to hide.
The Pheasant is the most prevalent bird in the United Kingdom’s countryside. Pheasant populations are on the rise across the country, except in the far north-western region.
Did You Know? Pheasants originated from Asia and were introduced to Europe by the Romans, likely arriving in the United Kingdom with the Normans in the 11th century.
Behavior
You will frequently hear pheasants before you see them. Particularly during the breeding season, when the males establish their territories by making drumming sounds with their wings. Their calls are croaky, similar to those of a domestic rooster.
Common Pheasant Call:
Tristan Guillebot de Nerville xeno-canto.org
Female common pheasants establish their nests in fields or bordering habitats, where they typically lay a dozen or more eggs that they incubate independently. The offspring are born precocial, meaning that the nestlings are born in an advanced state and are able to move around and feed themselves almost immediately.
Nestlings mature at a rapid pace, achieving flight capability within two weeks and remaining in proximity to their mother for an additional six to seven weeks.
During the autumn season, common pheasants tend to congregate in flocks, maintaining this behavior until spring. Although they possess the ability to fly, they generally prefer to evade threats by running and utilizing short flights to reach cover.
Biometrics
Natural Predators
As ground-nesting birds, the main predation risk to the Pheasant is their nest sites. A significant portion of the eggs are vulnerable to predation, contributing to elevated mortality rates among the young birds. Some of the main predators include Foxes, Stoats, Badgers, Sparrowhawks, and Adders.
Conservation Status
The species are registered as Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature from a global conservation viewpoint.
U.K.
Conservation Status
Global
Conservation Status
CITATIONS
- Royal Society For Protection Of Birds [Accessed 10/09/2025] ↩︎
- British Trust for Ornithology [Accessed 10/09/2025] ↩︎
References
- Golley, M. (2016) Field guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland. London, England: Bloomsbury. [Accessed 10/09/2025]
- Lovette, I. et al. (2016) The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, handbook of bird biology. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley. [Accessed 10/09/2025]
