The common pheasant is the main character of this article. This bird was first found in the Caucasus, that is why the common pheasant is also called Caucasian.
Similarly, it is unclear how the bird began to dwell in other countries, how and who brought her there, but now it can be found in almost any part of the earth.
The bird was domesticated and became engaged in the breeding of other breeds by crossing them with different representatives of the pheasant family.
In the unit chicken, pheasant is the largest bird. Its name he received in honor of the ancient river phasis in Georgia. The bird was found on the banks of the river, so it was named.
There is another version of the origin of the name is in honor of the city where was discovered the bird.
In the sixth century near the river phasis by the Carians founded the colony of the same name fazis, which was the commercial center.
As is known, the genus of Pheasants is divided into two:
- common pheasant;
- green pheasant.
Ornithologists say that these are two different birds, but some scientists do not agree, and called the green pheasant, a subspecies of the ordinary.
Green is much less common body size, in the CIS countries they inhabit, but ordinary very common.
In some regions can dwell in only one subspecies, and in others several. Just the pheasant ordinary thirty sub-species, that is species of pheasants. Many of them previously belonged to separate species. It was later established that all of these subspecies is the common pheasant, which differs only in the color of the plumage. Moreover, the most pronounced difference between the colors of the males. Individuals who have the distinctive features of the exterior in the form of a long thoracic or ear feathers, belong to different genus, but the family of Pheasants.
One of the farmed subspecies of common pheasant is a breed called “hunting”. He was taken by crossing two breeds of this kind: the Caucasian and the Chinese.
Description and features
The structure of the body of the pheasant is very similar to chicken, only difference is in the long tail.
Depending on the subspecies, males can have their plumage in different shades:
- yellow,
- green,
- lilac,
- Golden.
Around the eyes, no feathers and skin in this place is red.
As usual many birds, the females are inconspicuous in their coloration. They are mostly speckled and feathers are shades of sand.
The male body on average, up to 90 centimetres long including the tail. The tail, usually about 18 inches. The female, as usual, less. Its body length with a tail not more than 60 centimeters, with a tail about half the length. The weight of the birds can reach up to two kilograms.
Lifestyle, breeding and offspring, food
The bird pretty quickly and actively running on the ground, but to fly is difficult. In General, they fly rarely. Live birds, as a rule, in the grass thicket near the pond, but they often settle in the fields.
The male is able to fight to the death for their territory. He is always very dedicated guarding her. The day the birds are hiding in the shadows of the undergrowth, and in the evening and early morning eating.
Before the spring birds live in flocks, in which all individuals of the same sex. One flock of males may consist of more than hundreds of individuals, females also are favored a smaller population.
In the spring males leave the pack and looking for a female, while loudly singing in a hoarse voice. This cry helps the male to attract the attention of the opposite sex, and also to let other males that the female is busy.
The view usually nest in the same Bush. Eggs are incubated exclusively by the female. This process lasts for about a month while the male does not participate in the process. By the end of spring in the nest appears ten to twenty Chicks.
Pheasants are fed as animal food, and vegetable. Producing their own food, birds digging the ground and pulls out the roots, seeds, insects and worms. All fall feathered saves body weight, but in winter, it is rapidly losing due to the fact that poultry takes a lot of effort in order to produce their own food. Many birds do not survive to the end of winter.
Have feathered quite a lot of enemies in the wild:
- Fox;
- wild dogs;
- hawks and other predatory birds,
- magpies, crows etc.
Breeding in house conditions
The breeding of these birds is not a very popular activity among Russian farmers, but their meat is much higher quality than the chicken. Everything else, they are lovely hens.
At home common pheasants are bred in specially equipped cages or large enclosures. The main condition for their maintenance it is obligatory to have any bushes and other shrubs on-site bird habitat. A quiet place is vital for both adult and young individuals.
To start breeding you can, by purchasing eggs or Chicks ready. There is an option to buy a couple of different sexes of pheasants and wait for the offspring.
Very important is diet, as a balanced diet will help the bird to grow and to stay healthy.
Favorite treat for birds is the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae. Therefore, the content on the site for such birds will help the farmer to get rid of garden enemy without the use of poisons.
Pheasants are very susceptible to stressful conditions, so we should protect the bird from distractions, otherwise it will cease to lay eggs and become sick.
Hunting for pheasant
Hunting of pheasant is permitted common everywhere. In the spring of their shooting is strictly prohibited. As a rule, this bird hunt with a dog, often to be used hunting breed Spaniel. He picks up the bird trail and throws the bird from the bushes, and the hunter shoots at a pheasant taking off. The hound, meanwhile, finds the murdered victim and carries it to the owner. In fact, the dog may be another breed, but on a hunt it is preferable, after all, Spaniel.
According to the rules, you can only hunt in the morning and evening, in General, at a time when the bird leaves his hiding place and goes in search of food.
In many countries pheasant hunting is extremely popular masculine occupation. Moves hunters banal interest in sports, and everything else this bird has amazingly delicious meat.
In ancient times, the roast pheasant was a delicacy at the Royal table.
In conclusion, it should be said that the farmers who made a choice in favor of the common pheasant, no regrets. Birds are low maintenance, not expensive to feed, she gives amazing meat and many eggs. Breeding pheasants is easy, but you need to be equipped with special cages and to create conditions close to natural. Then the bird will safely live and grow in the joy of the master.
